http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/
enSun, 15 Sep 2019 10:17:59 +0200Fri, 06 Sep 2019 16:14:21 +0200http://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpghttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/
144Lord Mayor of London visits Australia to boost financial and professional services linkshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-visits-australia-to-boost-financial-and-professional-services-links/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-visits-australia-to-boost-financial-and-professional-services-links/Opportunities for collaboration in fintech and green finance will be high on the agenda as the Lord Mayor of London visits Australia this week.

Lord Mayor Peter Estlin - global ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry – will visit Perth, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney as the head of a business delegation to strengthen trade links with one of the world’s top international finance centres.

As well as meetings with national and regional government leaders, he will also have bilaterals with Australian Super and Macquarie Bank. He will also give a speech at the Australian Investment Council Conference to an audience of key investors.

Accompanying the Lord Mayor on his visit is a senior delegation drawn from fintech, asset management, and green finance.

In 2018, the UK was Australia’s second-largest source of foreign investment and second-largest foreign investment destination.

Peter Estlin, the Lord Mayor of London, said:

“I’m looking forward to my visit to Australia, a country that is a natural partner for the City of London and the UK’s financial services industry.

“The UK’s relationship with Australia is already very strong, but there is still so much more that we can achieve. For example, our unrivalled fintech and green finance expertise can help remove barriers to international investment and business, creating jobs and prosperity and unlocking opportunity.

“While our teams continue to battle it out on the pitch for the Ashes, we are stronger together when it comes to business.”

The Lord Mayor will be tweeting from @CityLordMayor during his visit.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

The LM’s business delegation for his visit to Australia consists of representatives from:

In a busy programme of engagement, he will have meetings with the Bank of Montreal, HSBC, Aon, Invesco and several others.

The overall focus of the visit will be on innovation, and how the mutual demand for expertise can increase collaboration in areas such as pensions, insurance and payments.

As home to 11 per cent of the global fintech industry and to more than 60 fintech start-ups valued at more than $1 billion (known as unicorns), the UK is a leader in innovation across the financial services sector.

The US is the UK’s largest trading partner and the UK exported £14 billion in financial services to the United States in 2017, while UK-Canada trade rose 13.7% to £6.5 billion last year.

Peter Estlin, Lord Mayor of London said:

“The US and Canada are two of the UK’s most significant trading partners, not least when it comes to financial services. The arrival of the fourth industrial revolution gives us an opportunity to deepen those relationships further for the future, and open a new chapter in our collaboration.

With that in mind, I’m excited to be accompanying such a diverse delegation of UK start-ups with me to North America for this visit. I look forward to discussing how we can share their expertise and build new business ties, benefitting consumers and households on both sides of the Atlantic.”

The Lord Mayor will be tweeting from @citylordmayor during his visit.

The business delegation travelling with the Lord Mayor is as follows:

Revolut (Toronto)

Funding Circle (Toronto)

LMRKTS LLC (Toronto)

Smart Pension (Toronto and Chicago)

Delio Wealth (Toronto and Chicago)

Comply Advantage (Toronto, Chicago and Atlanta)

iProov (Toronto, Chicago and Atlanta)

Worldpay (Toronto, Chicago and Atlanta)

yulife (Toronto, Chicago and Atlanta)

Liberis Group (Atlanta)

Salary Finance (Atlanta)

-Ends-

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

The Lord Mayor acts as an international spokesperson for the City, leading business delegations overseas to key international markets on behalf of the UK’s financial and professional services industry.

In the role he meets government representatives from around the world, alongside business leaders and policy makers both at home and abroad.

For more information contact:

Joe Dibben, Media Officer

City of London Corporation

Joe.dibben@cityoflondon.gov.uk

0207 332 1906

]]>LONDON,CITY OF LONDON,TORONTO,CHICAGO,ATLANTA,FINANCIAL SERVICES,FINTECH,INSURANCE,PENSIONS,CANADA,USA,PETER ESTLIN,LORD MAYOR,PAYMENTSTue, 25 Jun 2019 05:00:00 +0200https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?Lord Mayor of the City of London, Peter Estlin, will give a speech at the Bankers and Merchants Dinner at The Mansion House tonight (20 June 2019).http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-the-city-of-london-peter-estlin-will-give-a-speech-at-the-bankers-and-merchants-dinner-at-the-mansion-house-tonight-20-june-2019/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-the-city-of-london-peter-estlin-will-give-a-speech-at-the-bankers-and-merchants-dinner-at-the-mansion-house-tonight-20-june-2019/Lord Mayor of the City of London, Peter Estlin, will give a speech at the Bankers and Merchants Dinner at The Mansion House tonight (20 June 2019).

Addressing an audience of more than 350 guests including notable figures from the worlds of business, government and regulation from across the UK, he will speak alongside Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, and Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney.

An extract from the Lord Mayor’s speech is found below. Please check against delivery.

“As Lord Mayor, promoting UK financial and professional services the scale of innovation and the range of our offer are all vital parts of the role.

As is leading business delegations on international visits, helping them expand globally. But I think we need to go further.

Yes, our financial and insurance services have the largest trade surplus, outstripping all other UK services…

And yes, our international exports stand at £78 billion pounds, making us the world’s largest net exporter in financial services. However, this is a story told in fragments.

It’s a company to company or city to city narrative, when really, we need a united effort – a country-wide voice – telling and selling our success stories to international markets and indeed ourselves!

That is why the City of London Corporation and partner organisations have built a brand-new online platform to tell that story: the story of the UK’s global offer for financial and professional services.

It outlines, with new research, insights, and video content how the UK is the world's most global financial centre, and how we understand international business’s needs.

We are working closely with Her Majesty’s Government, London and regional financial services partners and Trade Associations to ensure this is a great platform.

It aims to focus on the whole UK’s regional offer, whether that’s Manchester or Edinburgh, or Belfast or Bristol, or indeed London.

But why is it important to tell our story, to have a unified voice? The reason is, I hope, obvious. As leaders of industry, we have a responsibility to support not only our customers, but all UK citizens.

Only three weeks ago, the City of London Corporation and the Government supported the launch of the Impact Investing Institute, an inspirational initiative led by Elizabeth Corley and Harvey McGrath, both here tonight.

The Institute will have a pivotal role in encouraging more funds to be allocated to projects which will see financial returns with a social or environmental purpose.

And the City’s work on skills is also part of this greater purpose…

Whether through our substantial support to the Skills Taskforce that, you, Chancellor, announced at this dinner last year…

…or my mayoral programme – Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today – which through our coalition is working to ensure that everyone has the digital skills to work and thrive in our increasingly digital world.

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>News,london,lord mayor,bankers dinner,mansion house,city dinnerThu, 20 Jun 2019 11:02:13 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_peterestlin3.jpg?10000City Beerfest returns to Guildhallhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-beerfest-returns-to-guildhall/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-beerfest-returns-to-guildhall/Visitors to the City of London’s historic Guildhall Yard on Thursday 18 July will be able to enjoy some of the UK’s finest ales, beers and ciders, as City Beerfest returns for the seventh year running.

Now an established City tradition and attended this year by Lord Mayor Peter Estlin, City Beerfest welcomes a wide range of UK breweries and live musicians to Guildhall Yard to raise money for charity.

For the first time, City Beerfest will welcome low- and non-alcoholic brewers to the event, in collaboration with Club Soda.

All proceeds from City Beerfest will go towards The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which supports his three dedicated charities – Samaritans, Place2Be, and OnSide Youth Zones.

The sale of tokens, which can be purchased in advance or on the day in Guildhall Yard, raises money for these good causes and pays for your chosen drinks and a specially branded City Beerfest glass. The event is free to enter.

Lord Mayor Peter Estlin said:

“Over the last seven years, City Beerfest has established itself as one of the most enjoyable events in the City of London’s calendar, creating a real buzz in our historic Guildhall Yard and raising money for my Appeal.

“As well as sampling some of the beers and ales on offer, I hope that I will be allowed to pull a few pints for customers to show my gratitude for their support.”

Stephen Spencer-Jones, Master of the Brewers' Company, said:

“The Brewers’ Company is delighted that so many of our member breweries are, once again, supporting the City Beerfest to raise money for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

“For over 600 years, we have made sure that the people of London have access to great beer, and this event in the heart of the City is a fantastic way to continue this long tradition.”

The City of London Corporation, which supports City Beerfest and owns and manages Guildhall Yard, is the fourth largest funder of heritage and cultural activities in the UK and invests over £100m every year.

It is also developing Culture Mile between Farringdon and Moorgate – a multi-million-pound investment which will create a new cultural and creative destination for London.

City Beerfest 2019 will be held in Guildhall Yard, EC2, from 12.30pm to 9pm on Thursday 18 July. See www.citybeerfest.org for further details.

City Beerfest was created in 2013 as a joint initiative between The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, City Music Foundation, and the Worshipful Company of Brewers.

About the City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

About the Worshipful Company of Brewers

The Brewers’ Company is one of the oldest Livery Companies in the City of London and ranks 14th in order of precedence. The Company received its first charter from Henry VI in 1438 when the brewers were incorporated as “The Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery or Art of Brewers of the City of London.” Its aims are to promote interaction between brewery companies, for the benefit of the industry and its members alike, while also supporting its charitable foundations (principally education focused) and the governance of the City of London.

]]>news,beer,ale,cider,brewery,Beerfest,Guildhall,Guildhall Yard,Brewers Company,brewers,Lord Mayor,Peter Estlin,City of London Corporation,City Music Foundation,Culture Mile,Centre for Music,Lord Mayors AppealWed, 12 Jun 2019 10:36:00 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_beerfest2-568774.jpg?10000BT, Barclays and IntoUniversity among organisations shortlisted for London’s top responsible business awardshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/bt-barclays-and-intouniversity-among-organisations-shortlisted-for-londons-top-responsible-business-awards/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/bt-barclays-and-intouniversity-among-organisations-shortlisted-for-londons-top-responsible-business-awards/A multinational telecommunications company, a leading global bank, and a national education charity are just some of the organisations shortlisted for this year’s Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards – the capital’s top responsible business awards.

The City of London Corporation, which runs the Awards, has announced that 20 firms, making a positive difference to society through their responsible business programmes, have made the cut.

Firms of all sizes and sectors made the list, including:

Legal firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP, which has been chosen for its innovative partnership with Micro Rainbow. It helped Micro Rainbow to open the UK’s first ever safe-house for LGBT+ refugees and asylum seekers through volunteer work, financial support and pro bono legal advice. Since 2017, the partnership has supported 37 homeless LGBT+ asylum seekers into safe housing.

Barclays bank has been shortlisted for its digital skills programme Barclays Digital Eagles. Their “Digital Eagles” provide free training in coding to thousands of children, students and trainee teachers across the UK. The initiative helps young people gain confidence and skills, helping close the digital divide through education around digital tools and technology.

Financial technology firm Refinitiv has been chosen for its initiative TicketAid, which is helping to redefine corporate philanthropy by reducing waste through transforming unused business event tickets into donations. TicketAid is a corporate ticket allocation website designed to give employees access to exclusive tickets that would otherwise go to waste whilst raising funds for some fantastic charities. Since 2018, more than 4,000 workers have raised over £80,000 for charity.

The Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards also recognises the work of SME’s. This year SME’s Gate One, K&M McLoughlin Decorating Ltd, Formation Architects and N- Able, have all been shortlisted for an award.

Over the last 32 years, businesses which have applied to the Awards have helped over 10 million people, mobilising 200,000 business volunteers and giving nearly £250 million in donations and in-kind support to London’s communities.

Applicants for this year’s Awards have supported 2,511,004 people across the UK, and provided over £31,900,000 in support their local communities, charities and

enterprises.

They mobilised 54,170 business volunteers who contributed over 194,131 hours to community groups, schools and individuals across the UK.

Previous Award winners have reported winning new contracts, improved internal relationships, stronger reputations and increased PR as a result of being recognised with an award.

All applicants will be invited to The Mansion House in September where the winners will receive a prestigious ‘Dragon’ from Peter Estlin, the Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Lord Mayor Peter Estlin, said:

“It’s fantastic to see so many firms putting such tremendous effort into their responsible business programmes and going the extra mile to make a difference to society.

“We have seen such a diverse range of initiatives, from employability and skills projects to tech-driven corporate philanthropy.

“Congratulations to all the firms that have made the shortlist. It’s important we continue to shine a light on such effective and successful responsible business work, not only to celebrate these achievements but to encourage other firms to follow suit.”

“We’re delighted to be shortlisted for the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards for the second year running. Our work with Micro Rainbow, in launching the UK’s first safe-house for LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers, has been a superb and hugely rewarding experience for our lawyers. The Awards are simply the most fantastic celebration of responsible business and we look forward to being part of it.”

Liz Williams, Director of Digital Society at BT said:

“We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Lord Mayor’s Award for Leadership in Digital Skills, which recognises the huge commitment we have made to driving the UK’s digital skills agenda through the Barefoot programme. BT has funded and managed Barefoot in partnership with BCS since April 2015, engaging both teachers and volunteers to get free, world-class computing teaching resources into UK primary schools.

“Digital skills are critical today, and in future, all jobs will involve technology; which is why the Barefoot programme not only delivers tech skills – it delivers life skills. We live in a world powered by technology and, working with our partners, schools and teachers; we will make sure the next generation can thrive in it.”

Since it was founded in 1987, the Dragon Awards has attracted high-quality applications from a variety of organisations across London and the UK.

ENDS

To find out more about the Awards, follow us via @Dragon_Awards and #DragonAwards or email Dragon.Awards@cityoflondon.gov.uk to be added to the mailing list.

Notes to editors:

*Firms shortlisted for this year’s Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards:

Lord Mayor’s Award for Leadership in Digital Skills: Digital skills are critical to the UK’s competitiveness and to building an inclusive society. And this special award celebrates businesses, from across the UK, that are investing in the UK’s digital future

Barclays – Barclays Digital Eagles – Supporting students and young people to thrive in a digital world

BT PLC – Barefoot Computing

Nominet plc and Livity – Nominet Digital Neighbourhood

Heart of the City Award: celebrates companies that have only recently begun to have a strategic approach to social impact in Greater London.

Formation Architects – Formation Community – Outreach programme

N-Able - Responsible Business Programme

Boosting Social Impact Award: will go to a firm that is boosting its social impact in Greater London through its own schemes

Community Partners Award: will go to a community organisation that is working with firms to achieve excellence in social impact. It recognises good practice and innovation in building and maintaining effective cross-sector partnerships that benefit Greater London.

The Awards form one part of the City of London Corporation’s commitment to working in partnership with businesses, charities and neighbouring boroughs to create a more responsible, inclusive and competitive London.

As part of this drive, the City Corporation funds Heart of the City, a charity supporting a network of London companies to run their own responsible business programmes. And the City Corporation boosts young people’s employability through partnerships with City firms on apprenticeships, mentoring and paid work placements schemes.

In partnership with the Social Mobility Commission and the Social Mobility Foundation, the City Corporation launched the world’s first Social Mobility Employer Index. It ranks the top 50 UK employers who have taken the most action to improve social mobility in the workplace, incentivising firms to improve access to top quality jobs for candidates from all backgrounds.

The City Corporation itself pledged to employ and sustain 100 apprentices and in 2017 and 2018, the Sutton Trust named the City Corporation as the best UK academy sponsor for its work supporting pupils from low-income families to achieve top grades.

Its charitable arm, City Bridge Trust, gives £20m every year to charitable and community organisations across London. And it works closely with the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which runs City Giving Day, a celebration of the City of London’s philanthropic and responsible business activities.

]]>news,csr,lord mayor,city,london,awards,responsible business,firms,business,capital,mayor,city of london,city of london corproationTue, 28 May 2019 12:34:30 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_taylorbennettfoundation-649728.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London leads fintech delegation to China to promote trade and investmenthttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-leads-fintech-delegation-to-china-to-promote-trade-and-investment/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-leads-fintech-delegation-to-china-to-promote-trade-and-investment/The Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin is to visit China from 18 to 23 March 2019 to promote links with the UK in fintech, green finance and the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Lord Mayor, in his role as an ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services, will meet senior members of the Chinese government and business leaders during his visit. The six day visit sees him travel to Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing accompanied by a delegation of 13 innovative fintech firms (list provided below) headed by John McLean OBE, a board member of the China Britain Business Council (CBBC).

In each of the three cities a fintech forum is being held with government and industry aimed at boosting city-to-city links in the sector. These events will see the Lord Mayor speak alongside senior Chinese business figures, and will also provide the opportunity for members of the delegation to pitch to potential investors.

Meanwhile, meetings will be held with senior figures of the Shenzhen and Shanghai governments, both of which have longstanding cooperation agreements with the City of London Corporation, to discuss how both sides can further strengthen the mutual relationships in areas including fintech, asset management and capital markets.

During the visit the Lord Mayor will also be promoting innovation and technology, championing digital skills and addressing digital and social inclusion as part of his “Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today” programme.

Speaking ahead of his trip, The Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin said:

“Seventy years on from the founding of the People’s Republic of China, ties between our two countries have gone from strength to strength, with bilateral trade now worth nearly £70 billion.

“As China continues to expand and open-up its economy, the City of London and more broadly the UK continues to play an important part in the country’s success story.

“I look forward to helping build on these solid foundations during my visit, and to strengthening ties in areas including fintech and green finance.”

CBBC board member John McLean OBE said:

“I am delighted to lead the delegation to promote opportunities for companies in the City and the wider UK to grow and thrive in the rapidly evolving China market and to demonstrate that London is open for business for Chinese financial and tech companies.

“CBBC has been at the heart of the UK-China trade relationship for over 65 years and I look forward to further strengthening the bonds which exist between UK and China.”

More than 30 Chinese financial firms are now based in the Square Mile, and the majority of major UK financial institutions have a presence in China. London remains the leading hub for RMB trading outside of Asia, and the City Corporation works alongside the People’s Bank of China to produce a quarterly review of use of the currency in the capital. In green finance, our countries continue to set the benchmark for international cooperation, and late last year the UK-China Green Finance Taskforce announced a set of green investment principles for the Belt and Road.

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>china,Shenzhen,Shanghai,Beijing,CBBC,John McLean,Lord MayorMon, 18 Mar 2019 10:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_shutterstock-264116024-957815.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London travels to Scotland to strengthen post-Brexit tieshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-travels-to-scotland-to-strengthen-post-brexit-ties/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-travels-to-scotland-to-strengthen-post-brexit-ties/The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Peter Estlin will visit Edinburgh and Glasgow next week (4-6 March) to strengthen links between London and Scotland.

The Lord Mayor serves as an international ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services sector and will lead business delegations to around 30 key global markets. As part of his visit next week he will be inviting Scottish businesses to join him on these overseas trade missions to take advantage of new opportunities around the world.

He will be holding meetings with leaders of a range of firms and organisations including Burness Paull, Aberdeen Standard Life, Baillie Gifford, the Law Society of Scotland and Scottish Financial Enterprise. The Lord Mayor will also meet with the Finance Secretary of Scotland Derek Mackay, following the Scottish First Minister’s visit to The Mansion House earlier this year to celebrate Burns Night.

Meetings are expected to focus on the London-Scotland relationship post-Brexit, and how we can work together to ensure the UK financial sector remains a world leader and centre of innovation. The Lord Mayor will also talk to Scottish firms about the benefits of opening an office in London.

“My visit to Scotland comes at a crucial time for the UK, with Brexit imminent.

“The partnership between London and Scotland has an important role to play in ensuring that the UK remains a world leading financial hub.

“Edinburgh and Glasgow are innovative cities with an increasingly vibrant financial and digital offer. I look forward to exploring how we can build on our mutually beneficial relationship.”

Scotland’s financial sector generates around £8 billion for the Scottish economy, more than eight per cent of Scottish onshore economic activity. Managing over £800 billion of funds, the industry employs 161,000 people, and accounts for 24 per cent of all UK employment in life assurance, and 13 per cent of all banking employment.

In April 2018, the City of London Corporation decided to double resources committed to its regional strategy. This specifically set out that the City of London would work to strengthen links with cities across the UK on a number of key issues, including inward investment, trade links and raising awareness of export opportunities.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. About the Lord Mayor of the City of London:

The Lord Mayor is the elected head of the City of London Corporation for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical.

The Lord Mayor is an international ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services sector.

2. The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>News,Edinburgh,Glasgow,Lord Mayor,Peter EstlinThu, 28 Feb 2019 10:53:33 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_architecture-building-castle-257372-631193.jpg?10000Call for London’s firms to enter capital’s top responsible business awardshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/call-for-londons-firms-to-enter-capitals-top-responsible-business-awards/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/call-for-londons-firms-to-enter-capitals-top-responsible-business-awards/Businesses tackling London’s social problems are today [18 February] being called on to enter the capital’s top responsible business gongs.

The City of London Corporation, which runs the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards, wants to hear from firms of all sizes and sectors.

From firms championing diversity to companies running volunteering and social mobility schemes, the Dragon Awards celebrate businesses going the extra mile to make a difference to society.

And for the first time this year, the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards will have an award solely celebrating digital skills initiatives.

Over the last 32 years, Dragon Awards applicants have reached over 11 million people, mobilising 200,000 business volunteers and providing a quarter billion pounds in donations and pro-bono support.

The awards up for grabs are:

1. Lord Mayor’s Award for Leadership in Digital Skills: Digital skills are critical to the UK’s competitiveness and to building an inclusive society. And this special award celebrates businesses, from across the UK, that are investing in the UK’s digital future

2. Heart of the City Award: celebrates companies that have only recently begun to have a strategic approach to social impact in Greater London.

3. Boosting Social Impact Award: will go to a firm that is boosting its social impact in Greater London through its own schemes

5. Innovation Award: will be awarded to a business developing new ways to benefit London’s communities

6. Regional Impact Award: celebrates businesses with a London presence that are strengthening regional communities beyond the capital

7. Community Partners Award: will go to a community organisation that is working with firms to achieve excellence in social impact. It recognises good practice and innovation in building and maintaining effective cross-sector partnerships that benefit Greater London.

The awards will be open for applications until 16 April 2019.

All applicants will be invited to The Mansion House in September where the winners will receive a prestigious ‘Dragon’ from Peter Estlin, the Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Lord Mayor Peter Estlin, said:

“These awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the great work firms are doing to tackle social problems across the capital, and the wider UK.

“I’m very excited that this year we have an award focused on digital skills. It is now more important than ever that we bring communities together to build, develop and nurture the pipeline of digitally-skilled and innovative talent.

“Digital transformation offers us an opportunity to improve community cohesion, widen social mobility and build the UK’s competitiveness through skills development. It is an opportunity that together we must seize.

“I am calling on businesses of all sectors and sizes to come forward and show us what they are doing to benefit society.”

“I’m extremely excited to host these special awards for the second year running.

“There is some truly amazing work being done by businesses to help local communities tackle society’s most pressing problems.

“The range of employment initiatives supporting diversity in the workplace, helping under-represented communities and reaching people from disadvantaged backgrounds is something I really commend.

“These are life changing programmes paving the way for successful careers based on merit and hard work.

“We need more programmes like this and we want to encourage other firms to take up similar initiatives and play their part in creating a society we are all proud to celebrate.”

Since it was founded in 1987, the Dragon Awards has attracted high-quality applications from a variety of organisations across London and the UK.

Previous winners reported winning new contracts, improved internal relationships, stronger reputations and increased PR as a result of taking part in the scheme.

The Awards form one part of the City of London Corporation’s commitment to working in partnership with businesses, charities and neighbouring boroughs to create a more responsible, inclusive and competitive London.

As part of this drive, the City Corporation funds Heart of the City, a charity supporting a network of London companies to run their own responsible business programmes. And the City Corporation boosts young people’s employability through partnerships with City firms on apprenticeships, mentoring and paid work placements schemes.

In partnership with the Social Mobility Commission and the Social Mobility Foundation, the City Corporation launched the world’s first Social Mobility Employer Index. It ranks the top 50 UK employers who have taken the most action to improve social mobility in the workplace, incentivising firms to improve access to top quality jobs for candidates from all backgrounds.

The City Corporation itself pledged to employ and sustain 100 apprentices and in 2017 and 2018, the Sutton Trust named the City Corporation as the best UK academy sponsor for its work supporting pupils from low-income families to achieve top grades.

Its charitable arm, City Bridge Trust, gives £20m every year to charitable and community organisations across London. And it works closely with the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which runs City Giving Day, a celebration of the City of London’s philanthropic and responsible business activities.

]]>News,city,csr,awards,lord mayorMon, 18 Feb 2019 12:37:26 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_dragonawards2-806210.jpg?10000Havering students rewarded in Dragons Den style competition at City Livery awardshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/havering-students-rewarded-in-dragons-den-style-competition-at-city-livery-awards/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/havering-students-rewarded-in-dragons-den-style-competition-at-city-livery-awards/Students from Drapers’ Academy in Havering were victorious in a ‘Dragons Den’ style competition hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London.

The fourth annual Livery Academy Awards grand finale took place at The Mansion House last week.

Other finalists included sixth-form students from Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney and Crayford Academy in Dartford.

Like the popular ‘Dragon’s Den’ television show, each team had to come up with a commercial business idea and present it to a panel of high profile judges.

The winning idea involved the creation of a subscription service for period and sexual health products, called In The Box.

The competition was set up by the Grocers' Company in 2013 and has since been extended to include Drapers and Haberdashers with a grand final for the winners hosted at The Mansion House.

And this year, preliminary events were held in venues across the City.

The awards gave students a chance to develop their business skills by taking part in a series of practical tasks.

Henry Colthurst, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Education Board, said:

“The Livery Awards provide a unique opportunity for students to learn from businesses, visit traditional parts of the City and then showcase ideas, innovation and skills to live audiences.

“Through the Education Board at the City of London Corporation we are playing an important role in developing London’s future workforce, and teaching the skills which enhance employability.

“Congratulations to all the schools that took part and of course, to the Drapers’ Academy for winning the competition.”

Lee Bryant, Head of Sixth Form Title at Drapers’ Academy (Havering)

“We are absolutely delighted to win the competition.

“Our students have grown in confidence over the course of the event and have gained a number of skills including, public speaking, a skill which will stand them in good stead for the future.

“We are thankful to the various Livery Companies and the City of London Corporation for giving us this opportunity, not just to our students but to all young people from the schools that took part.”

All teams were supported by their teachers and two mentors, often young members of the host livery company, who provided financial and creative advice.

The City of London Corporation sponsors or co-sponsors 10 academies across Hackney, Newham, Islington and Southwark. In 2017 and 2018, Sutton Trust named the City Corporation as the UK’s best academy sponsor for empowering pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to perform above the national average, and the leading academy sponsor for Progress 8 and Attainment 8, which track pupil progress and achievement.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

This year’s judging panel were:

James Bilefield

Entrepreneur and Chairman, SThree plc

Tim Campbell, MBE

Founder, Bright Ideas Trust

Sherry Coutu, CBE

Entrepreneur and Chairman, Founders4Schools

Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CBE

BA, FCA, FCIBS, FRSE

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK.

]]>News,London,Havering,Livery,Awards,City,Education,Dragons Den,Essex,Romford,Mansion House,Lord MayorFri, 01 Feb 2019 13:43:55 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_winners03-994203.jpg?10000New opportunities await as Lord Mayor of London visits Kuwait and UAEhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/new-opportunities-await-as-lord-mayor-of-london-visits-kuwait-and-uae/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/new-opportunities-await-as-lord-mayor-of-london-visits-kuwait-and-uae/Opportunities in emerging areas such as fintech and green finance will be high up the agenda as the Lord Mayor of London, global ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry, visits Kuwait City, Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the next week (12-17 January) to strengthen trade and investment ties.

Lord Mayor Peter Estlin, who took office in November, will meet with sovereign fund investors and senior figures from the region’s financial sector during the visit, including the Kuwait Investment Authority, Mubadala Investment Company and Abu Dhabi Investment Council.

Kuwait and the UAE are among the fastest growing markets for UK services globally, with total services trade at £5.6bn with the UAE and £1.5bn with Kuwait as of 2017, up 90% and 76% respectively over the last decade.

As the UK prepares to leave the EU, he will be reiterating the underlying strengths and depth of the industry in both the UK and London, accompanied by delegation of five leading UK organisations.

The Lord Mayor will also discuss emerging opportunities for collaboration between the region and the UK, and will underline the common commitment between the UK, Kuwait and UAE towards free and open trade.

While in Kuwait, he will announce that a Scholarship will be awarded to one exceptional student from Kuwait as part of the Mansion House Scholarship Scheme. This award will be the fifth such Scholarship awarded in Kuwait since the scheme began in 1997.

The City is the global leader for currency trading, fintech, cross-border banking, asset management and much more. It is also the leading centre for Islamic finance outside of the Islamic world, with over £2.5 trillion in assets invested here.

Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin said:

“I’m delighted to be visiting Kuwait and UAE for my first overseas visit of 2019. In these two countries there is huge further potential for collaboration with UK companies.

“British business and innovation across financial and professional services has much to offer partners in the region, whether it be in currency trading and asset management, or growing areas like fintech and green finance.

“I’m looking forward to meeting key stakeholders in the region to scope out new partnership opportunities and boost collaboration as we embark upon a new chapter in our trading history.”

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox MP, said:

“As the UK takes control of its independent trade policy for the first time in 40 years, markets such as the UAE will provide exciting export and investment opportunities for UK companies.

“My international economic department stands ready to drive trade between our two countries, and I would encourage any business that wants to build or strengthen ties with their UK counterparts to contact our regional Trade Commissioner, Simon Penney, as well as our network of overseas offices.”

Waqas Samad, CEO, Benchmarks, FTSE Russell said:

“FTSE Russell has been present in the Gulf for a number of years helping provide a wide range of benchmark and analytic solutions to facilitate the growing demand from international investors looking to invest in the region. We are therefore delighted to be joining the Lord Mayor’s delegation to the Gulf, aimed at strengthening the relationships between our markets.”

Peter Estlin is a Senior Adviser to Barclays plc having joined in 2008. Most of his career has been spent in banking, initially as CFO for Salomon Brothers Asia, then CFO for Citigroup’s Investment and Corporate Banking divisions in New York and London. He joined Barclays in 2008 as Group Financial Controller and has been CFO of the Retail & Business Banking and Non-Core divisions as well as Acting Group CFO.

List of organisations joining the delegation:

London Stock Exchange Group

FTSE Russell

Aberdeen Standard Investments

Motive Partners

Paymentology

]]>news,united arab emirates,kuwait,lord mayor,green finance,islamic finance,fintech,abu dhabi,dubai,international tradeFri, 11 Jan 2019 10:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_lmpic-547623.png?10000New Southwark sixth form centre officially opened by Lord Mayor of Londonhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/new-southwark-sixth-form-centre-officially-opened-by-lord-mayor-of-london/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/new-southwark-sixth-form-centre-officially-opened-by-lord-mayor-of-london/A new state-of-the-art sixth form centre has been officially opened to provide first-class facilities for City of London Academy, Southwark students.

The new building, which was opened by Lord Mayor Peter Estlin on Thursday, will accommodate 400 students.

The sixth form, which is located on the corner of Rotherhithe New Road and Verney Road, a short distance from the main school site, currently has 325 students and will grow further over the next year.

The design process has had significant input from students including consulting on the first-floor plan layouts and interior design features such as the furniture style, interior colour themes and classroom design.

The new building includes glass walls, a large open plan study centre and flexible learning spaces for both staff and students based on a more contemporary theme.

Richard Bannister Executive Principal at City of London Academy Southwark said:

“This is a first-class learning environment for our current and future students. I hope their new space will motivate, inspire and encourage their learning so that they can reach their full academic potential.”

Andrew McMurtrie, Chair of the City of London Academies Trust, said:

“The sixth form centre is a fantastic area for the academy’s students to learn, excel and enjoy their experience whilst at City of London Academy Southwark.

“We are committed to providing a high-quality learning environment for our students and look forward to welcoming the next class of students to their new sixth form in 2019.”

The City of London Corporation sponsors or co-sponsors 10 academies across Hackney, Newham, Islington and Southwark. In 2017, Sutton Trust named the City Corporation as the UK’s best academy sponsor for empowering pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to perform above the national average, and the leading academy sponsor for Progress 8 and Attainment 8, which track pupil progress and achievement.

Notes to Editors

Picture caption: From left to right: William Fraser, founding Chair of Governors of the City of London Academy, Southwark and Lord Mayor, Peter Estlin unveiling the plaque.

About the City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk.

About the City of London Corporation’s academies

The City of London Corporation has a unique family of schools comprising one maintained primary school, 10 sponsored or co-sponsored academies in London boroughs, and three independent schools of which two are located within the Square Mile.

The City of London Corporation sponsors, co-sponsors or governs the following schools:

Co-sponsored academies

O City of London Academy, Islington (co-sponsor City University)

O The City Academy, Hackney (co-sponsor KPMG)

City of London Academies Trust:

O City of London Academy (Southwark)

O Redriff Primary, City of London Academy

O Galleywall Primary, City of London Academy

O City of London Primary Academy Islington

O City of London Academy Highgate Hill

O City of London Academy Highbury Grove

O City of London Academy Shoreditch Park

O Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre City of London Academy

Local Authority maintained school:

O Sir John Cass’s Foundation Primary School

Independent:

O City of London School

O City of London School for Girls

O City of London Freemen’s School

]]>News,Southwark,New,Sixth Form,Education,students,Lord Mayor,LondonMon, 10 Dec 2018 16:07:07 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_copyclive.totman-20181207002-893901.jpg?10000Lord Mayor's first overseas visit to strengthen trade ties with Canada, USA and Mexicohttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayors-first-overseas-visit-to-strengthen-trade-ties-with-canada-usa-and-mexico/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayors-first-overseas-visit-to-strengthen-trade-ties-with-canada-usa-and-mexico/The Lord Mayor of London, global ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry, is set to visit Vancouver, San Francisco and Mexico City this week (10-14 December) to strengthen trade and investment links.

Lord Mayor Peter Estlin, who took office last month, will begin his first overseas visit in Vancouver on Monday where he will meet with Canadian investors as well as senior figures from the financial and digital sectors including HSBC Canada, Chrysalix Venture Capital and Global Relay.

The Lord Mayor will then head to San Francisco where he will be accompanied by a business delegation drawn from 15 UK organisations, with a particular focus on fintech (see below for the full list). They are expected to meet with a number of major financial and digital companies including Facebook and Silicon Valley Bank, while a reception to celebrate US and UK partnership on fintech and identify new business opportunities will be held at The Battery on Tuesday 11 December in collaboration with Blenheim Chalcot and GBx.

The final leg of the Lord Mayor’s visit will involve travelling to Mexico City to engage with the new Presidential administration, which took office earlier this month. He is set to meet with the Minister of Finance and Governor of the Mexican Central Bank. The Lord Mayor will witness the signing of a partnership agreement between the Mexican authorities and the City of London Corporation’s Green Finance Initiative, while he will also award a Mansion House Scholarship.

Lord Mayor of London Peter Estlin said: “I’m delighted to be visiting North America for my first overseas visit. There are huge opportunities for British firms in Canada, the USA and Mexico when it comes to fast-growing markets such as fintech and green finance, as well as financial and professional services more broadly.

“I will be there to promote British business and innovation, positioning UK firms as natural partners for North American tech businesses and demonstrating how the City of London, as a world leading financial centre, can support their ideas and growth.”

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said: “The UK already has strong economic and cultural ties across North America as a result our shared histories, values, and open liberal economies.

“Trade between the UK and Canada, USA and Mexico is worth £202.1bn and the Lord Mayor’s visit is a major opportunity to strengthen these relationships by showcasing the UK’s innovative financial and digital sectors.”

Charles Mindenhall, Co-Founder of Blenheim Chalcot, said: “For businesses in the UK, making the first move into the US market can seem a formidable challenge. But we’ve seen our ventures use the advantage of their unique innovations developed in the UK to grow their businesses in North America through careful market analysis and customer-focused marketing and development.

“We’re immensely proud to be joining the Lord Mayor on this visit to strengthen connections with influential business leaders on the West Coast - and demonstrate how London’s best and brightest are using the power of data to accelerate the pace of the change in a range of industries.”

The Lord Mayor’s visit will have a strong focus on promoting British digital innovation, which ties in to his mayoral programme Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today. Key pillars of this programme include: promoting innovation and technology, championing digital skills and addressing digital and social inclusion.

Peter Estlin is a Senior Adviser to Barclays plc having joined in 2008. Most of his career has been spent in banking, initially as CFO for Salomon Brothers Asia, then CFO for Citigroup’s Investment and Corporate Banking divisions in New York and London. He joined Barclays in 2008 as Group Financial Controller and has been CFO of the Retail & Business Banking and Non-Core divisions as well as Acting Group CFO.

List of organisations joining San Francisco delegation

Business champion: Charles Mindenhall, Co-Founder of Blenheim Chalcot

Azimo

Barclays

Comply Advantage

Department for International Trade

Fitzgerald & Law

Funding Circle

Grant Thornton

Hive Learning

Innovate Finance

Liberis

Modulr

Onfido

Osborne Clarke

Salary Finance

ENDS

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Military bands, vintage buses, Dhol drummers, a combine harvester and a giant nodding dog will feature in the three-mile-long procession at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show.

The noisiest, largest and most colourful event in the City of London’s calendar takes place on Saturday 10 November, bringing together over 7,000 people, 200 horses and 140 motor and steam-driven vehicles in a major spectacle that dates back to the 13th century.

Peter Estlin, who will take office as the 691st Lord Mayor of the City of London on 9 November, will ride in the procession in the gold State Coach.

The annual event, which celebrates the City’s ancient past and modern outlook, enables the Lord Mayor to ‘show’ himself or herself to the people of the City of London, as well as to swear an oath of allegiance to the sovereign.

Cheered on by tens of thousands of people lining the streets and millions watching the live BBC coverage and online streaming of the event, the procession will leave The Mansion House, the Lord Mayor’s official residence, at 11.00am.

The family-friendly focus of this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show remains within the Square Mile - with a range of activities taking place alongside the parade at Bloomberg Arcade, Paternoster Square, and next to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The entertainment includes a funfair, food market, street artists, tours of the Cheapside area, and several companies showcasing the skills and technology needed to shape the future City of London. There will be no fireworks display on the Embankment this year.

Lord Mayor Elect Peter Estlin said:

“I am very much looking forward to the Lord Mayor’s Show, a hugely colourful and diverse occasion, and to serving as Lord Mayor for the coming year.

“This wonderfully celebratory and inclusive event attracts a wide range of participants from home and abroad, all of whom clearly derive huge enjoyment from designing their floats, wearing their costumes, and being cheered on by the crowds along the route.

“My mayoral theme for the year, ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today’, will drive home the message that our fast-changing society and access to new technology must be open to all, in particular, the elderly, poor, and disabled, many of whom are at risk of being left behind.”

The City of London Corporation, which is headed by the Lord Mayor, is the fourth largest funder of heritage and cultural activities in the UK and invests over £100m every year.

The City Corporation is also developing Culture Mile between Farringdon and Moorgate – a multi-million-pound investment which will create a new cultural and creative destination for London over the next 10 to 15 years. This includes £110m funding to support the Museum of London’s move to West Smithfield and £2.5m to support the detailed business case for the proposed Centre for Music.

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>news,The Lord Mayor's Show,Lord Mayor's Show,Lord Mayor,Lord Mayor of the City of London,City of London,Square Mile,Peter Estlin,Charles Bowman,Guildhall,Mansion House,Cheapside,St Pauls,procession,Bloomberg,Paternoster Square,Bloomberg Arcade,fireworks displayMon, 15 Oct 2018 16:12:59 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_lmpeterestlin1.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London to visit India with high-level delegation to boost fintech linkshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-to-visit-india-with-high-level-delegation-to-boost-fintech-links/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-to-visit-india-with-high-level-delegation-to-boost-fintech-links/The Lord Mayor of London, global ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry, is to visit India at the head of a business delegation from 7 to 12 October 2018 to strengthen trade links with the City of London.

Lord Mayor Charles Bowman will travel to Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi for meetings with senior government and industry leaders. He will be accompanied by representatives from 11 UK fintech firms (see below for the full list) as well as Lord Mayor elect Alderman Peter Estlin.

Lord Mayor Bowman, the 690th incumbent of a role that dates back centuries, is the leader of London’s ‘Square Mile,’ or financial district, and has visited some 27 countries over the course of his year in office. Charles Bowman is an accountant by profession and is a Senior Partner at PwC in London.

His visit to India aims to increase ties in fintech, and follows work by the City of London Corporation with the UK government and the Indian High Commission in London on a number of programmes, including Access India, which works to support UK SMEs expanding into the country.

Lord Mayor of London Charles Bowman said:

“The UK and India enjoy a strong and enduring relationship that continues to reap results in many areas including finance and commerce.

“India is the fourth largest foreign investor in the UK, and ties between our two countries are growing. But there is so much more we can do together, particularly in the area of fintech, where UK expertise perfectly matches the needs of India’s growing digital market.

“Travelling with me on this visit are some of the best and brightest fintech firms the UK has to offer, and I can’t wait to see them fly the flag for UK industry.”

Secretary of State for International Trade Dr Liam Fox MP said:

“Trade between the UK and India has risen by 19% to £18.8bn but there is still enormous potential to expand this relationship even further. This is particularly true for areas like fintech where Britain is a world leader – last year alone, the UK secured more tech venture capital investment than Germany, France, Spain and Ireland combined.

“I’m delighted to see the Lord Mayor leading this delegation of innovative and ambitious UK firms on a trade mission to India and my international economic department is committed to working with key partners like the City of London to champion free trade across the globe.”

India’s High Commissioner to the UK, HE YK Sinha said:

“The Lord Mayor’s visit to India comes at a very opportune time, given the ever strengthening bilateral ties between our two countries.“Our collaboration in cutting -edge technologies, financial services and fintech has been particularly noteworthy. Moreover, London will always remain a global financial hub.

“I am sanguine that the visit will further enhance these invaluable links, particularly in the fintech sector.”

The City Corporation has a longstanding programme of work in India, and opened a representative office in Mumbai ten years ago. Around 10-15 Indian financial firms are based in the Square Mile which the City Corporation works closely with, and there are many more based across London.

The Lord Mayor will be tweeting from @CityLordMayor during his visit.

During the visit the Lord Mayor will also announce that a Scholarship will be awarded to one exceptional student as part of the Mansion House Scholarship Scheme. This award will be the fourth scholarship issued in India since the scheme began.

ENDS

List of firms on delegation

Business champion: Louise Brett, Lead Fintech Partner for Deloitte UK & North West Europe

Chainvine

Global Processing Services

iProov

Onfido

PESB

R5FX

Salary Fits

Skyline Partners

Worldpay

Wrisk

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>News,India,Lord Mayor,Liam Fox,Charles Bowman,FintechFri, 05 Oct 2018 08:49:55 +0200https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000Next Lord Mayor of the City of London electedhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/next-lord-mayor-of-the-city-of-london-elected/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/next-lord-mayor-of-the-city-of-london-elected/Peter Estlin has today been elected as the 691st Lord Mayor of the City of London. As the elected head of the City of London Corporation, he will serve as a global ambassador for the UK-based financial and professional services industry from 9 November 2018 for a one-year term.

Alderman Estlin – who will take a sabbatical from his role as a Senior Advisor to Barclays plc – will succeed the current Lord Mayor, Charles Bowman, following the Silent Ceremony on Friday 9 November at Guildhall. The annual Lord Mayor’s Show takes place on Saturday 10 November, which will be followed by the Lord Mayor’s Banquet on Monday 12 November at Guildhall where the Prime Minister, Theresa May, will deliver a speech.

The Lord Mayor acts as an international spokesperson for the City, leading business delegations overseas to key international markets on behalf of the UK’s financial and professional services industry. In the role he will meet government representatives from around the world, alongside business leaders and policy makers both at home and abroad. He will look to strengthen economic ties with the UK, identify new business opportunities and promote the UK as a top global destination for foreign investment. He is expected to spend more than 100 days abroad visiting thirty countries across six continents.

During his Mayoral year, Alderman Estlin will also look to promote his ‘Shaping tomorrow’s City today’ agenda which will build on the current Lord Mayor’s theme of “the business of trust” and focus on promoting innovation and championing digital skills across the UK. The programme has three key aspects: promoting innovation & technology, championing digital skills, and addressing social inclusion. It will be underpinned by research that identifies digital skills gaps and opportunities for the UK. Alderman Estlin’s mayoral theme will guide his entire year, influencing international visits, ceremonial and state banquets, business and livery events, and charitable activities.

Peter Estlin said:

“I am honoured to be elected as the 691st Lord Mayor. The City is a national asset for the UK, driving investment and creating millions of jobs across the country.

“The UK financial and professional services faces a critical moment as we prepare to leave the European Union in March 2019. I will champion a focus through and beyond Brexit that maintains London’s role as a world leading financial centre and which ensures we remain open for business not only from the European continent but globally.

“We are clear that both the UK and EU authorities should urgently tackle cliff-edge issues such as contract continuity, which could affect cross border insurance and pensions. Implementing a transition agreement and delivering a deal on the future UK-EU relationship which adequately covers the sector are also major priorities.“Beyond Brexit, we need to make sure that the City rises to new challenges and opportunities.People and businesses across the UK need to be able to take

advantage of new technologies and innovations to help themselves and drive economic growth.My ‘Shaping tomorrow’s City today’ programme will work to ensure that individuals and businesses are equipped to take advantage of this new digital revolution and ensure that no one is left behind by it.”

Peter Estlin’s Biography

Peter (57) is a Senior Advisor to Barclays plc having been educated at King Edward’s Witley and the University of Bristol. He trained as a Chartered Accountant, becoming a partner with Coopers & Lybrand in 1993.

Most of his career has been spent in banking, initially as CFO for Salomon Brothers Asia, then CFO for Citigroup’s Investment and Corporate Banking divisions in New York and London. He joined Barclays in 2008 as Group Financial Controller and has been CFO of the Retail & Business Banking and Non-Core divisions as well as Acting Group CFO.

His non-executive appointments include HM Treasury (NED Audit Committee - 2015 to date), Bridewell Royal Hospital, a foundation for disadvantaged children (Chairman - 2006 to date; Governor - 1993 to date), Morden College (Trustee - 2015 to date), Trust for London (Board member 2016 to date) and latterly British Airways International Advisory Board (Member 2007- 2012, Chairman - 2012 to 2015) and London Fairness Commission (Commissioner - 2015 to 2017),

He was elected an Alderman of the City of London in 2013 and was elected Sheriff for the City of London for the year 2016/17. His civic responsibilities include being a member of the City’s Education Board and Policy Committee.

Peter is married to Lindy, with one son, James, who is a chartered accountant with KPMG, and two daughters, Victoria, who is a doctor working in the NHS, and Annabel, who is undertaking a Masters in epidemiology at Cambridge University. They live in Tunbridge Wells although spend most of the week in London.

]]>news,city of london,city of london corporation,press release,lord mayor,lord mayor of london,peter estlin,election,lord mayor elect,guildhall,aldermanMon, 01 Oct 2018 13:48:39 +0200https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London visits Turkey to boost financial and professional sector links http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-visits-turkey-to-boost-financial-and-professional-sector-links/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-visits-turkey-to-boost-financial-and-professional-sector-links/The Lord Mayor of London, global ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry, is visiting Istanbul at the head of a business delegation this week to strengthen trade links with the City of London.

Charles Bowman, the Lord Mayor, will meet government and business leaders, regulators, and trade bodies in Istanbul in a visit focussed around deepening business ties between London and Turkey. The Lord Mayor’s visit will include meetings with representatives from the Turkish fintech sector, significant Turkish investors, and the British Chamber of Commerce in Turkey.

Lord Mayor Bowman, the 690th incumbent of a role that dates back centuries, is the leader of London’s ‘Square Mile,’ or financial district, and has visited some 27 countries over the course of his year in office. Charles Bowman is an accountant by profession and is a Senior Partner at PwC in London.

Accompanying the Lord Mayor on his visit to Turkey is a senior delegation of City of London figures representing leading City industries such as fintech, asset management, and private equity.

Commenting on his visit to Turkey, Charles Bowman, the Lord Mayor of London said:

“I’ve been looking forward to visiting Turkey, a long-term strategic partner for the City of London, since I took office last year.

“I’m keen to discuss UK-Turkey business relations with senior government and business representatives in Istanbul, particularly focussing on how the UK and Turkey can partner to spur on mutual growth. Of particular interest are the fields of infrastructure and Islamic Finance, fintech, and asset management.

“The UK and Turkey already have a strong trading relationship, and I’m sure our business relationships can still deepen and grow in the years to come.”

The Lord Mayor’s visit will have a strong focus on innovation, and how financial and professional services can support the growth of start-ups in fields such as fintech.

The Lord Mayor is expected to speak at Deloitte’s ‘Doing Business with the UK’ conference where he will speak about the strength of the City of London, and opportunities for UK-Turkey collaboration.

The Lord Mayor will be tweeting from @CityLordMayor during his visit.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

For more information contact:

Nathan Rodgers, Financial Services Media Officer

0207 332 3451

nathan.rodgers@cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>News,Turkey,fintech,Lord Mayor,Charles Bowman,Istanbul,City of LondonTue, 25 Sep 2018 09:00:00 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_lordmayortb.jpg?10000CEO of Bank of China UK honoured by City of London Corporationhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ceo-of-bank-of-china-uk-honoured-by-city-of-london-corporation/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ceo-of-bank-of-china-uk-honoured-by-city-of-london-corporation/The head of the Bank of China’s UK operations, Sun Yu, has today received the Freedom of the City of London, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to promoting UK-China relations.

Mr Sun took up his position at the helm of the 89-year-old London branch of the Bank of China in December 2014. In addition to this role, he is also Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK, and was previously also Chairman of the Association of Foreign Banks.

Mr Sun was nominated for the Freedom of the City of London by the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of London, Charles Bowman. His Freedom ceremony at Guildhall began with him reading aloud the Declaration of a Freeman and ended with him being greeted by Murray Craig, Clerk to the Chamberlain's Court, as a ‘Citizen of London’ and the presentation of his framed parchment certificate.

The CEO is the latest Chinese national, and the first head of a Chinese company in the UK, to receive the Freedom.

Charles Bowman, Lord Mayor of London said:

“The Freedom of the City of London is a very special and ancient tradition, bestowed to recognise an individual’s remarkable contribution to London or public life, or an outstanding achievement.

“My colleagues and I are delighted to admit Sun Yu into the Freedom of the City of London.

“As head of one of the oldest and most respected foreign banks in the Square Mile, Sun Yu has done a tremendous amount to help promote closer UK-China relations in this Golden Era of ties.

“It is a huge pleasure and a personal privilege to welcome him to Guildhall to receive the Freedom.”

Sun Yu, General Manager of Bank of China Limited London Branch and CEO of Bank of China (UK) Limited said:

“It is a true honour and great pleasure to join the fellowship of men and women who have been recognised by the City of London and the Lord Mayor.

“I take it as a recognition of Bank of China’s long-term commitment in serving the local community and promoting China-UK relations.

“It is my privilege to work in London and to witness the China-UK Golden Era. The Bank of China will continue to spare no effort to further strengthen the ties between our two countries.”

The Freedom of the City of London is believed to have begun in 1237 and enabled recipients to carry out their trade. Today, people are nominated for, or apply for, the Freedom, because it offers them a link with the historic City of London and one of its ancient traditions.

The Freedom is also offered to individuals by the City of London Corporation to help celebrate a significant achievement, or to pay tribute to their outstanding contribution to London life or public life. High-profile recipients include Dame Judi Dench, Sir Peter Hall, J.K. Rowling, Dame Eileen Atkins, Plácido Domingo, Lord Norman Foster, Sir Michael Caine, and Damian Lewis.

Bank of China is China’s most internationalised and diversified bank, providing a comprehensive range of financial services to customers across the Chinese mainland and 56 countries and regions. Established in 1929, Bank of China’s London Branch was the first overseas Chinese financial institution in the Square Mile.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>News,Bank of China,Sun YU,Freedom of the City of London,Charles Bowman,Lord MayorMon, 30 Jul 2018 18:08:08 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_img-5676.jpg?10000City of London to host International Green Finance Summithttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-to-host-international-green-finance-summit/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-to-host-international-green-finance-summit/The City of London Corporation will tomorrow (17th) host the international Green Finance Summit in London’s historic Guildhall. The conference will bring together more than 1000 delegates from across the financial and professional services industry to participate in a day of lectures, roundtables, and networking events. There are more than 60 speakers scheduled.

John Glen MP, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, will give the keynote address to open the Summit, following speeches by the Lord Mayor of London, Charles Bowman, and Sir Roger Gifford, current chair of the Green Finance Initiative. Sir Roger will also become the Chair of a Steering Group that will scope and deliver the Green Finance Institute, announced by the Chancellor at his Mansion House speech last month.

Other individuals joining the Steering Group have been selected and represent a wide cross section from the worlds of finance, regulation, and academia. SYSTEMIQ, an advisory and investment firm dedicated to the creation of sustainable economic systems in energy, industry, and land use has been selected as the consultancy partner for this project and will support strategy development and business planning for the Institute.

London is currently a world leading centre for green finance, with nearly 80 green bonds raising more than $24 billion across seven currencies. The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate Change estimates around $93 trillion of global infrastructure investment between 2015 and 2030 will need to be green in order to meet climate change commitments. The green bond market grew by 78% between 2016 to 2017, to $155 billion in issuances.

At the Summit the Lord Mayor is expected to announce that the Chartered Banker Institute will be supporting the development of the world’s first benchmark Green Finance Qualification for bankers in the UK and abroad.

Commenting on the Summit the Lord Mayor of London, Charles Bowman said:

“Green finance is a fast-growing sector here in the City of London, and an important offer to our partners across the world.

“I’m confident that the Government and industry’s commitment to Green Finance will create new business opportunities and continue to grow London’s offer.

“Promoting this is not only good for business but is good for the world; helping tackle one of our greatest challenges – climate change.

“London is already a world leader in green finance and this Summit is bringing together industry leaders from across the world to ensure we remain so for years to come.”

“The Institute is proud to have launched the world’s first benchmark qualification for green finance. We recognise that successfully embedding green finance at the heart of the financial services sector means developing the capabilities of significant numbers of green finance professionals.

“We strongly believe that this qualification will help these individuals develop and demonstrate the specific knowledge and expertise needed to help direct investments to support transition to a low carbon world, address climate-related risk, and explore green finance opportunities.”

Jeremy Oppenheim, founder and senior partner at SYSTEMIQ said:

“The transition to a low-carbon economy is a massive opportunity for the UK, which has the potential to lead the world in cutting emissions and strengthening climate resilience, while driving growth.

"It is an honour to be working with the City of London and its partners at the Green Finance Initiative to help unlock this opportunity and enhance the role of London as the world’s preeminent green finance hub."

The Summit is being sponsored by the City of London Corporation, Amundi, Carbon Delta, and The Green Investment Group.

Mark Dooley, Global Head of Green Energy for Macquarie Capital and the Green Investment Group said:

“The global energy transition is one of the grand challenges of our time and a huge opportunity. The UK and London have built a world-leading, innovative green finance community and capability. The role of the GFI and events like this summit are vital if we are to keep investing in that capability, rising to the challenge and taking the opportunities that the energy transition will bring.

David Lunsford, Head of Development for Carbon Delta said:

“We are fully dedicated to helping the financial sector align their activities with a sustainable future, which we believe should involve the consideration of climate change risks and opportunities in the investment portfolio construction process.

"The Summit should move the discussion on financial risk management and disclosure on climate change forward. The UK government's devotion to this topic is impressive, commendable and necessary for progress to continue.”

I’d like to start by thanking the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment whom I first met in London at the UK/Nigeria Trade & Investment Summit in the margins of the very successful Commonwealth Business Forum. I also had the pleasure of meeting him alongside His Excellency Vice-President Osinbajo in Abuja a few days ago. Many thanks for that generous introduction and for joining us today.

Just a few words about myself, I have the privilege of being the 690th Lord Mayor of the City of London.

As the Lord Mayor, my principal role is to act as an ambassador and a key spokesperson for the UK’s financial and professional services sector, which has had its historic links in the City…

It is a sector that employs two point three million people nationwide…

…it accounts for some twelve per cent of our GDP…

It is the world’s leading exporter of financial services, it has the largest insurance sector in Europe, and hosts more than 250 foreign banks - more than any other international financial centre.

It is a national, European and international jewel. And arguably the only truly international financial centre in the world.

In this role, I will spend some 110 days during my year in office travelling to 30 countries to promote the UK financial and professional services sector. And it is no coincidence that I have chosen Nigeria - an important bilateral partner with whom the UK already enjoys a special bond as evidenced by the important contribution the 200,000-strong Nigerian diaspora make to the UK. We have a rich history of collaboration and a joint desire to deepen this further.

And whilst in Nigeria, I have five key objectives:

First, to provide assurance that the City of London will remain the pre-eminent global financial centre well into the future.

Second, to advance the strong ties that exist between the UK and Nigeria.

Third, to harness this relationship to improve bilateral trade, investment and business-to-business opportunities.

Fourth, to promote innovation in financial services.

And fifth and finally, to engage, discuss and promote my Mayoral programme – The Business of Trust - which aims to create a lasting legacy of better business, trusted by society.

It is these five priorities that I want to talk to you about today – in short, I want to talk about the City’s offer to Nigeria.

The relationship between Nigeria and the UK is strong.

Our bilateral trade is strong, currently standing at around £3.4 billion pounds per annum. And it is set to become even stronger – forecast to reach £7 billion by 2030.

This is a great foundation on which to build future success, but in my view, we can do much, much more.

As I’ve travelled in Abuja and Lagos these past few days it has become abundantly clear that Nigeria – already Africa’s largest and most populous country - is at an important point. With the rapidly rising population and the current economic growth rates, the IMF has forecast declining GDP per capita for the foreseeable future. To convert the democratic reality from challenge to opportunity, and to unlock the extraordinary potential of this wonderful country, the economy needs to sustain some 3-4 million new jobs each year and, to achieve that, economic growth must rise from the current 2 per cent to at least 6-7 per cent.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is clearly possible. But to ensure the opportunity and potential is harnessed, the economic engine needs to shift up a gear or two.

I’ve been hearing during my three days in Nigeria that in order to achieve this four things the country must focus on:

Creating investable infrastructure assets;

Improving access to capital;

Promoting financial inclusion;

And developing an enabling and compliance-based environment for business.

I’m pleased to announce today that the City is well positioned to be Nigeria’s partner of choice in all four areas. Let me take each of these in turn:

First, Nigeria needs to finance and create the modern infrastructure that every successful economy needs, specifically in the areas of power, gas distribution, transport, IT and broadband. Whilst not forgetting the softer areas of health and education.

London hosts the largest cluster of professional and financial services required for largescale infrastructure projects. We can finance projects, advise on their legal and regulatory framework, deliver the projects through our civil engineering and project management experts, and insure the final product. In short, the City is a full-service centre for infrastructure. And more details on all these strengths can be found in this booklet (holds up) published on the City of London’s website.

Here are just some of the projects we are working on.

On my own doorstep in London: the Crossrail project, the largest construction project in Europe – to open this December -, will provide a modern and efficient rail link crossing London from East to West.

And, internationally we are busy the world over. For example, becoming key partners with China in its ‘One Belt, One Road’ programme providing the Chinese with both the hard and soft skills necessary to deliver this extraordinary vision.

I said a moment ago Nigeria’s second priority should be improving access to capital – moving away from an over reliance on the banks and unlocking dead capital – be it in pensions or real estate, finding innovative solutions and unleashing the capital market

And Nigeria is already benefiting from access to London’s capital markets. But much more is possible.

The City of London has always been at the forefront of financing the African growth story, ever since 1938 when the first African company listed in London.

Eighty years later there are now 116 African companies listed in London with a combined market capitalisation just under £200 billion - the largest concentration of African listed companies outside of Africa. But the City of London will not rest on this privileged history. We are here to work in partnership and collaboration to innovate on financing solutions underlined by the strong partnership with the London and Nigerian Stock Exchanges.

The two stock exchanges have created an innovative platform for dual listing of equity and bonds which has already proved successful, as the heavily oversubscribed Eurobond and Diaspora bond showed last year. Nigerian sovereign bonds have raised £6.5 billion in total so far.

The massive demand is a strong statement of international investor interest in building exposure to Nigeria’s economy. It demonstrates the City’s ability to provide a deep additional channel of finance for the development of Nigerian infrastructure and the growth of its economy. The City of London also recognises the need to finance Nigeria’s infrastructure using Naira-denominated financial instruments listed on the LSE. Engagement has begun with the City of London and key Nigerian institutions to develop the concept of a Jollof Bond. Similar instruments have already been used successfully in India and China. And will eliminate foreign exchange risk for Nigerian issuers – from the government down to SMEs and provide even greater access to capital for this key sector.

Moving forward, the opportunities for London to facilitate the finance of Nigeria’s growing infrastructure, includes green infrastructure as Nigeria moves towards a low carbon economy. London is the global centre for green finance. To date, London has raised £20 billion via green bonds and another £9 billion via the 13 green equity funds that are listed on the LSE. Nigeria is developing its status in this field and was a pioneer as one of the first governments in the world to issue a sovereign green bond. To advance Nigeria’s ambitions, the LSE will be initiating an international green advisory board spearheaded by the finance and environment ministries to further develop Nigeria’s green finance aspirations.

I am delighted that Ibukun Adebayo (Head of Emerging Market Strategies at the London Stock Exchange) is a member of my business delegation this week in Nigeria. And I know that he would be pleased to meet with you afterwards and answer any questions you may have.

In Nigeria, UKEF is eager to deploy £750m towards viable trade opportunities, of which only a fraction has so far been used. And I’m delighted to have with me Steve Gray, UKEF’s West Africa representative who can give you more details.

Put simply: if you have the investable infrastructure opportunities, we have the capital and knowhow to ensure they succeed.

I suggested that Nigeria’s third priority should be to promote financial inclusion so that more of the population can access and benefit from the financial sector. I understand that only 40 per cent of adults are currently banked and some 42 per cent of the population are financially excluded. And thus stifling the development of SMEs – the lifeblood of any successful economy.

Promoting financial inclusion requires innovation, something the City has always had at its heart. Perhaps the most exciting innovation in finance today is fin tech, which is changing the way we all access financial services. As Bill Gates put it, “banking is needed, banks are not.”

London has become a world leader in fin tech, through, strong government tone from the top, a supportive regulatory environment and healthy private investment. We are home to about 1,600 fin tech firms helped by the fact that the Square Mile and the Tech City are only 500 meters apart compared with 5,000 kilometres for their equivalents in the United States.

This proximity has been a key driver for increasing technological innovation in the City. We are a 1-stop shop. Access to expertise, the huge potential for commercial partnerships and an explosion in demand for digital products within finance are all major pull-factors.

A very exciting development in fin tech as far as Nigeria is concerned is the Open Banking Initiative which was launched this year in the UK and has since gone global. Open Banking combines security, innovation and accessibility, underpinned by a strong regulatory framework. If given the right regulatory support, Open Banking in Nigeria has the potential to provide a pathway so that millions more can access basic financial services, empowering them to lead more prosperous lives. Indeed, Nigeria could become the leading country in Africa for Open Banking.

I am pleased to have brought with me in my delegation, Carlos Figueredo from Open Vector, whose team co-authored the UK’s Open Banking Initiative and we have had constructive discussions with the Central Bank and Finance Ministry about furthering this important agenda.

And let me turn finally, to creating a more enabling business environment. Success here will enable Nigeria to make further strides up the Ease of Doing Business ranking, as well as bringing more business into the formal economy and thus generating the tax revenues to improve the public services. Of course, a crucial component of this favourable business environment is high-quality regulation and high professional standards that inspire Trust.

The City’s pre-eminence as the leading international financial centre is in no small part down to our robust, modern and proportionate regulatory framework.

I believe that there is a lot of scope for the UK and Nigeria to deepen our regulatory dialogue whether that’s through technical expertise, knowledge transfer or capacity building. And by way of example, I know that the Prudential Regulatory Authority is happy to offer secondments to share best practice with Nigerian regulators.

Given Nigeria’s blossoming fin tech industry, which I heard from yesterday, I also think that regulatory dialogue on fin tech between our two countries would be particularly valuable.

A second underpinning of London’s pre-eminence are strong professional standards. Nearly 1 million people have qualifications administered by the UK’s legal, accounting and professional services bodies. I am delighted that my own institute, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, signed a Memorandum of Understanding earlier this year with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria to promote high professional standards in accounting and finance.

Which brings me to my final point – trust. We can all recognise that since the global financial crisis, public trust in business and finance has been sharply eroded, both in the UK and throughout the world.

And I believe that we have a responsibility – indeed a duty - to invest in rebuilding public trust so that people can regain confidence in our respective industries. That is why I have made the Business of Trust a personal priority for my year in office. Working towards, helping to create, a lasting legacy of better business trusted by society.

Trust is at the heart of everything we do. It is the cornerstone and fundamental foundation to trade. Trade generates the prosperity, which in turn creates the social cohesion that provides the stability, that results in security for us all.

I am delighted to report that I have had many engaging conversations about the importance of trust during my visit. And looking ahead to the elections in February, I think we can all recognise the importance of a fair, free, credible and peaceful democratic process in strengthening that foundation of trust and building on the progress Nigeria has made.

Indeed, I am pleased to report that my Business of Trust is resonating everywhere I go. So much so, that we began interviewing public figures on my travels. So far, we have carried out some 25 interviews including with the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and even – rugby fans will be pleased to hear – the All Black legend Sir John Kirwan.

And on Tuesday, I had the privilege of interviewing your own Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun. These interviews and a link to our survey on Trust can be found on my Twitter page - @CityLordMayor – and I would be delighted to receive your views.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have seen and heard first-hand how Nigeria has so much going for it.

People that don’t know Nigeria often have negative preconceptions of this country, through media reports that focus on the challenges and not the successes, the opportunities and the potential.

Having spent three amazing days here, I can only echo what some Nigerians working in the City told me before my visit: “Nigeria may be scary from afar, but up close it’s far from scary.”

This view has been reinforced throughout my visit. Just yesterday I met with ambitious Nigerian start-ups like Riby, Flutterwave and Paga – if this is the face of the new Nigeria we can all be confident that the future is a bright one.

I strongly believe that the UK and Nigeria can work closer together in the years ahead.

Or, working together to improve regulation, professional standards and trust.

But perhaps you have your own points which I haven’t discussed…and I look forward to taking any questions you have.

But before I finish I want to say this…

Let’s keep up the momentum,

Let’s put Nigeria at the forefront of exciting developments.

Let’s work together for our mutual benefit.

And may the long history of our countries’ collaboration continue. Thank you.

]]>News,London,Lagos,Nigeria,The city,The City of London,Lord Mayor,Lord Mayor of London,Charles Bowman,The city's offer,BrexitFri, 29 Jun 2018 10:17:38 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_lordmayortb-2.jpg?10000City of London Corporation elects Sheriffs of City of Londonhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-corporation-elects-sheriffs-of-city-of-london/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-corporation-elects-sheriffs-of-city-of-london/The annual election of two Sheriffs of the City of London took place today (25 June) at Guildhall.

Alderman Vincent Keaveny and Elizabeth Green were elected and will take office on Friday 28 September. They succeed Alderman Timothy Hailes and Neil Redcliffe.

The office of Sheriff, a pre-requisite to becoming Lord Mayor, is one of the oldest in existence and dates back to the Middle Ages. Their duties today include supporting the Lord Mayor in his or her civic duties and serving as ambassadors for the UK-based financial and professional services industry, at home and abroad, by promoting the UK as a place in which to do business.

They also support Her Majesty’s Judges at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) in promoting the importance of the English rule of law to businesses, schools, diplomats, charities, the City Livery, and leading arts figures.

The new Sheriffs will hold the position for one year.

Alderman Vincent Keaveny is a partner and International Co-Chair of the Financial Services Sector at international law firm, DLA Piper LLP. He advises banks and companies throughout the UK and Europe on banking, finance and capital markets matters. He served on the Committee of the City of London Law Society from 2006 to 2013 and was President of the Society in 2014/15. Born and raised in Ireland, he was admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales in 1992 and has spent his practising career in the City of London. Vincent is a City of London Alderman and represents the Ward of Farringdon Within. His City of London interests include membership of the Board of Governors for the City of London School.

Elizabeth Green has a background in retail, including with Tie Rack and Next, and is currently director of her farming company in Suffolk. Elizabeth joined the Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters in 1991 and was elected to its Court in 2012. Elizabeth has been involved in charity endeavours for over 25 years, fundraising extensively for several charities. This has been for local organisations in addition to the City and its extensive Livery work.

The Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey), where the Sheriffs work and reside, is recognised as the most famous criminal court in the world and is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>news,City of London,shrievalty,City of London Corporation,Guildhall,election,Lord Mayor,Old Bailey,Central Criminal Court,SheriffTue, 26 Jun 2018 12:51:29 +0200https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000NatWest, Dentons and Penguin Random House UK among organisations shortlisted for London’s top responsible business awardshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/natwest-dentons-and-penguin-random-house-uk-among-organisations-shortlisted-for-londons-top-responsible-business-awards/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/natwest-dentons-and-penguin-random-house-uk-among-organisations-shortlisted-for-londons-top-responsible-business-awards/A global law firm, a leading national bank, and a world-renowned publishing house are just some of the organisations shortlisted for this year’s Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards – the capital’s top responsible business awards.

The City of London Corporation, which runs the Awards, has announced the shortlist* for the 2018 Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards for responsible business, with 16 businesses of all sizes and sectors making the cut and demonstrating how they are tackling social problems in London.

Shortlisted applicants include international law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP which has provided almost 500 hours of free legal advice to the Royal Society for Blind Children to support Wayfindr, an app for people with visual impairments that provides audio directions for users in London Underground stations. The programme has so far supported 150 people across London.

Applicant Penguin Random House UK has been shortlisted for WriteNow, a campaign which aims to inform, inspire and ultimately publish writers from under-represented backgrounds. The scheme includes workshops offering advice and information for unpublished writers, and a year-long mentoring programme for the most talented and promising new voices. The initiative has so far supported 300 people across the UK.

City based Allen & Overy LLP has been chosen for its annual employability programme for the over-50s tackling long-term unemployment and obstacles to re-entering the workforce - through training sessions, supporting with job applications and one to one mentoring. One year after completing the programme, 84% of the 25 participants are in employment, most of which are full-time roles.

The Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards also recognises the work of SME’s. This year SME’s David Miller Architects and patent and trade mark attorneys Beck Greener have been shortlisted for the awards.

Over the last 30 years, businesses which have applied to the Awards have helped over 10 million people, mobilising 200,000 business volunteers and giving nearly £250 million in donations and in-kind support to London’s communities.

Applicants for this year’s Awards have supported nearly 1,794,552 people across the UK, helped create over 5022 work opportunities and provided over £15,386,558 in support their local communities and local enterprises.

They mobilised 11,922 business volunteers who contributed over 43189 hours to community groups, schools and individuals across the UK.

Previous Award winners have reported winning new contracts, improved internal relationships, stronger reputations and increased PR as a result of taking part in the scheme.

This year the City Corporation also launched the Lord Mayor’s Award – Business of Trust Champion, focussed on trust in business, the Lord Mayor’s theme for the year. This award, open to all businesses across the UK, celebrates businesses which are championing responsible business practices to create a lasting legacy of better business trusted by society. The award is open for applications until July 30.

Charles Bowman, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, said:

“These awards are London’s top responsible business awards, celebrating firms that have really gone above and beyond to tackle society’s problems.

“It’s fantastic to see that such a diverse range of organisations have applied this year. Firms of all sizes and all sectors have made the shortlist - all of them really making a difference.

“The immense, invaluable contribution of business in tackling social issues often goes unnoticed. In today’s challenging economic climate we need their intervention more than ever.”

Maria Stimpson, Allen & Overy Partner and ReStart champion, added:

“We are thrilled that our employability programme for the over 50s, ReStart, has been shortlisted for a Lord Mayor’s Dragon Award. We recognise that older employees bring an immense amount of experience and maturity to the workplace and wanted to expand the support we already provide to young people starting out on their careers to those looking to get back into employment. ReStart participants tell us that our programme has given them hope and 100% would recommend it to someone else in their position.”.

Dan Bodle, CSR partner at Dentons, said:

"We are pleased to be working in collaboration with The Royal Bank of Scotland Group to support and protect victims of domestic violence through the National Centre for Domestic Violence. The pro bono support we provide jointly with RBS Legal has enabled us to involve substantially more volunteers and help even more vulnerable people.”

All applicants will be invited to The Mansion House in September where the winners will receive a prestigious ‘Dragon’ from the City’s Lord Mayor, Charles Bowman.

Since they were founded in 1987, the Awards have attracted high quality applications from a variety of organisations across London- from SMEs to big City firms.

The Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards for celebrate business impact in society, from increasing the diversity of their workforce to volunteering in the community to helping social enterprises to grow.

The Awards form one part of the City of London Corporation’s commitment to working in partnership with businesses, charities and neighbouring boroughs to create a more responsible, inclusive and competitive London.

As part of this drive, the City Corporation funds Heart of the City, a charity supporting London’s SMEs to start their own responsible business programmes.

It also sponsors the City of London Business Traineeship Programme, which places state school pupils into paid internships at top City firms, giving young people the skills needed for a successful career in the Square Mile.

The City Corporation boosts young people’s employability through partnerships with City firms through apprenticeships, mentoring and paid work placements schemes.

Last year, in partnership with the Social Mobility Commission and the Social Mobility Foundation, it launched the world’s first Social Mobility Employer Index. It ranks the top 50 UK employers who have taken the most action to improve social mobility in the workplace, incentivising firms to improve access to top quality jobs for candidates from all backgrounds. The City Corporation itself has pledged to employ 100 apprentices by the end of 2017/18.

Its charitable arm, City Bridge Trust, gives £20m every year to charitable and community organisations across London.

It works closely with the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which runs City Giving Day, a celebration of the City of London’s philanthropic and responsible business activities.

]]>City,lord mayor,csr,responsible business,trust,awards,londonWed, 30 May 2018 14:36:21 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_dragonawards2-3.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London to visit Singapore and Indonesia to boost London-ASEAN linkshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-to-visit-singapore-and-indonesia-to-boost-london-asean-links/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-to-visit-singapore-and-indonesia-to-boost-london-asean-links/The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Charles Bowman, is to visit Singapore and Indonesia from 6 to 9 May 2018 to promote greater cooperation between the UK and South East Asia.

In his capacity as a global ambassador for the UK's financial and professional sector, the Lord Mayor's itinerary in Singapore will see him exploring how the UK can further cooperate in areas including fintech and cyber-security. The ‘Lion City’ is this year’s chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a 10 country bloc which is quickly establishing itself as a major market player globally.

Travelling to Jakarta, the Lord Mayor will open the Indonesian Stock Exchange, before attending a series of meetings to promote London as the leading hub outside Asia for Rupiah-denominated Komodo bonds. Discussions will also take place with govenment and business leaders about how both sides can further collaborate in infrastructure financing, green finance and fintech.

Lord Mayor of the City of London Charles Bowman said:

“South East Asia is one of the world’s most exciting, dynamic regions, home to nearly 10% of the global population and a combined nominal GDP of nearly $2.8 trillion.

“My visits to Singapore and Indonesia, two of the leading lights of the ASEAN crown, come as the UK reaffirms its position on the world stage as a global trading nation.

“I look forward to some productive discussions on how we can boost cooperation and strengthen ties between London and the fast developing ASEAN region, which already collectively ranks as the sixth largest economy in the world.”

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox said:

“Making the most of growing economies in South-East Asia is essential as the UK prepares for its own independent trading policy for the first time in forty years. Trade between the UK and Singapore and Indonesia is currently worth £14.2bn and The Lord Mayor’s visit will celebrate and build on this trade and investment relationship.

“To support UK businesses in accessing these markets, my international economic department offers live exporting opportunities on great.gov.uk and has a network of international trade advisers through our Exporting is GREAT campaign.”

Earlier this year, Dr Liam Fox attended the GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong with The Lord Mayor to celebrate the UK’s future relationship with our trading partners across Asia.

London Stock Exchange Plc CEONikhil Rathi said:

“The City is uniquely positioned as a gateway to Europe for Asian companies.

“As a global market place, London is committed to supporting South East Asia’s growth through capital raising. 35 ASEAN firms are listed in London with a combined market cap of $13.8 billion, and, with 19 active Komodo bonds, including the world’s first Komodo bond from an Indonesian State Owned Enterprise, London Stock Exchange has the ability to support ASEAN issuers in attracting significant global capital without foreign exchange currency risk.

“We look forward to building this market further with South East Asian and UK partners and authorities, and supporting the internationalisation of the ASEAN region capital markets.”

The City of London has a programme of engagement with countries across South-East Asia. To build collaboration in financial and professional services between the UK and ASEAN, the City of London sits on the ASEAN Market Advisory Group, run by TheCityUK.

In the future, the City Corporation also hopes to establish a City of London ASEAN Advisory Council made up of senior figures from the bloc’s financial sector. This follows the success of similar bodies who advise the Corporation in relation to its work in India and China.

During the visit to Jakarta, the Lord Mayor will also announce that a Scholarship will be awarded to one exceptional student as part of the Mansion House Scholarship Scheme. This award will be the fourth scholarship issued in Indonesia since the scheme began.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>News,Singapore,Indonesia,Jakarta,Komodo bonds,LSE,Lord Mayor,Mansion House Scholarship,Mansion House,cyber security,fintech,City of LondonThu, 03 May 2018 10:00:00 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_shutterstock-191289998.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London visits Chile to boost financial and professional sector links http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-visits-chile-to-boost-financial-and-professional-sector-links/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-visits-chile-to-boost-financial-and-professional-sector-links/The Lord Mayor of London, global ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry, is visiting Chile at the head of a business delegation this week with the aim of strengthening trade links with the City of London.

Charles Bowman, the Lord Mayor, will meet government and business leaders, regulators, and trade bodies in Santiago in a visit focussed around the major Expomin Trade Show. The Lord Mayor will be discussing how the City of London can work more closely with Chilean companies as they invest for growth domestically and abroad.

Lord Mayor Bowman, the 690th incumbent of a role that dates back centuries, is the leader of London’s ‘Square Mile,’ or financial district, and has plans to visit 27 countries over the course of his year in office. Charles Bowman is an accountant by profession, and is a Senior Partner at PwC in London.

The Lord Mayor will be visiting Chile accompanied by a senior delegation of City figures, as well as Carlos Figueredo, Managing Director of Open Vector, a professional consultancy firm that provides advice on shaping and implementing open banking and open data initiatives globally.

Commenting on his visit to Chile, Charles Bowman, the Lord Mayor of London said:

“When I was elected Lord Mayor I made clear that during my year in office representing the UK’s financial and professional services sector I wanted to visit Chile.

“As the most pro-business, open, and successful economy in South America, Chile represents a natural partner for British businesses looking to expand into Latin and South America.

“I’m also looking forward to discussing with senior government and business representatives in Santiago about how the UK and Chile can partner to spur on mutual growth. Of particular interest are the fields of infrastructure and green finance, fintech, and asset management.

“Travelling at the head of a business delegation I’m confident that this visit to Chile will be hugely productive and will help build stronger business links that will bind our two countries closer together.”

The Lord Mayor’s visit will have a strong focus on innovation, and how financial and professional services can support the growth of startups in fields such as fintech. The Lord Mayor will also be speaking to institutional investors and Asset Managers about alternative funding sources such as Green Finance for major infrastructure projects.

The Lord Mayor will be tweeting from @CityLordMayor during his visit.

]]>London,Chile,Lord Mayor,Lord Mayor of London,Charles Bowman,Business,official visit,Santiago,BusinessMon, 23 Apr 2018 13:08:37 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_lordmayortb.jpg?10000Lord Mayor travels to China to boost economic cooperation and trade http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-travels-to-china-to-boost-economic-cooperation-and-trade/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-travels-to-china-to-boost-economic-cooperation-and-trade/Lord Mayor of the City of London, Charles Bowman, is visiting China from 19 to 28 March 2018 to promote trade and investment, and London’s role in the Belt and Road initiative.

The Lord Mayor, in his role as an ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services and head of the City of London Corporation, will meet senior members of the Chinese government and business leaders during his visit. The nine day visit, accompanied by senior City figures from sectors such as banking, insurance, accountancy and legal, will include Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing.

In China’s leading tech hub Shenzhen the Lord Mayor will be highlighting the potential for further collaboration in the area of fintech. He will also promote London as a platform for Chinese companies to reach global markets and realise their international ambitions.

In addition, he will showcase London’s role in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, a region larger than Wales with a GDP of $1.36 trillion (£981 billion) in 2016 and an estimated population of 66.71 million.

In Hong Kong the Lord Mayor will be speaking at the GREAT Festival of Innovation, talking about the importance of collaboration between international financial centres, particularly in the Belt and Road initiative. He will also promote the importance of creating a digital silk road, where the City of London’s expertise in fintech and technologies such as blockchain can play a strong role.

Moving to Shanghai the Lord Mayor will meet the City’s Mayor Ying Yong for a ceremony to re-sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the City of London and Shanghai government. The commitment marks the latest chapter in collaboration between the two cities since the first agreement was signed in 1996. In addition, the Lord Mayor will lead celebrations at a special event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the City Corporation’s Shanghai Representative Office.

In Beijing, the Lord Mayor’s final stop in China, he will speak at a forum focussed on the Xiong’An New Area- a new economic zone being constructed on the outskirts of Beijing which the Chinese government aims to develop as a world-class digital financial centre. He will also meet with government and business leaders to highlight what London can offer the Belt and Road initiative, and the City’s role as a leading hub for infrastructure solutions.

Speaking ahead of his trip, Lord Mayor Charles Bowman, said:

“The City of London has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with China. I hope my visit will lead to even closer cooperation in this Golden Era of relations between our two great countries.

“Following Prime Minister Theresa May’s successful trip earlier this year, a key part of my visit will be promoting London’s role as the natural Western hub of the Belt and Road Initiative, for which firms in the City have much to offer.

“I will also be delivering the message that London is truly open for business, and that the City’s position as an international financial centre will very much continue after the UK leaves the European Union. We will remain a hub of creative energy and financial excellence, helping Chinese firms realise their international ambitions and build the relationships and support they need to retain and expand their UK operations.”

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox said:

“The Great Festival of Innovation is underpinned by a shared desire to build on the success of longstanding trading relationships between Asia and the UK and to stimulate further growth, with the City of London vital for developing the Golden Era of relations between our two countries.

“As an international economic department, DIT is ensuring British businesses make the most of growing markets like Hong Kong and exporting their goods around the world. The festival will be a major showcase for the UK in Asia, and a shop window for the best of our creativity and innovation.”

Sir Tom Troubridge, Chairman of the PwC China Business Group said:

“We have assembled a very senior delegation representing the UK's key strengths in Assurance, Insurance and Financing.

“These are all the skills the Chinese Government tell us are critical to the success of the Belt and Road Initiative where infrastructure projects alone have been estimated at $25 trillion over the next three decades.

“We will be meeting Chinese banks and construction companies during our visit to discuss how best the UK can work with China in this historic endeavour.”

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

In a roundtable with financial and professional services firms at the Mansion House this morning, the Lord Mayor will discuss the findings of the research - compiled by research group Britain Thinks – that show public scepticism of the industry decreases in Generation Z (born between 1995-2012) participants.

The data from the paper, ‘Understanding Trust in Business', shows that banking apps and same-day transfers have helped build a bridge of trust between financial institutions and the public. Funding for start-ups, attracting inward investment and providing a mortgage for home-buyers were some of the top reasons participants listed they felt confident in financial services firms.

In total there were 36 participants across three focus groups interviewed in different UK cities - London, Nottingham and Edinburgh. Participants based in London had the least amount of trust in firms. The younger participants in the focus groups, aged between 18-29, were generally more positive about the sector.

Commenting on the report, Lord Mayor of the City of London, Charles Bowman, said:

“Trust in financial and professional services is essential for the sector’s long-term success.

“The financial services sector is much more than a big tax generator and job creator. Through start-up funding it encourages entrepreneurialism, facilitates freedom for on-the-go banking customers and helps establish the UK as a world-leading financial hub.

“I believe that starting from the grassroots, building on the foundations of trust, is the best way to make sure the public can see the full value of having this truly global hub right here in the UK.

“This report highlights where firms are making great strides, but also where more attention needs to be focussed. It’s now my job to discuss how the sector can raise its game during my time as Lord Mayor and beyond.”

The report also highlights ways in which public trust had been broken. Participants cited reasons for the mistrust including being “ripped off” and suggesting firms were “out for something”. They also said complicated jargon and “tricksy” loopholes led to a decline in how much trust they placed in firms.

The insight paper launched today forms part of the City of London Corporation’s, ‘Business of Trust’ initiative, which seeks to improve the trustworthiness of the UK financial and professional services sector and create a lasting-legacy of better business trusted by society.

The report provides five recommendations linked to the CIVIC principles:

Do what you do well (Competence and Skills)

Be professional, fully trained and deliver to the highest standards.

Ensure quality and learn from any past failures.

Develop and support all staff working within the organisation, including through apprenticeships.

Do the right thing (Integrity)

Operate with integrity and do what you say you will.

Own up to and apologise for mistakes that are made.

Reward loyalty in customers and the right behaviours amongst staff.

Have a wider purpose (Value to Society)

Add value to others and act in the shared interests of customers, staff and the local community, for example, sponsoring local events, clubs and sports teams.

Treat employees well and in a ‘human’ way.

Pay what is considered to be the ‘correct’ amount of tax.

Focus on the customer (Interests of Others)

Focus on the customer and provide the service or product that you say you will at a fair price.

Keep customer data secure and protect against fraud.

Build relationships and offer a ‘human’ response in times of need.

Communicate clearly (Clear Communication)

Be honest and open, and provide clear communications written in simple, jargon-free English.

Build understanding and make yourself available

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London:

The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. The Lord Mayor spends some 100 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year).

The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister.

The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

]]>news,business of trust,edelman trust barometer,lord mayor,financial services,generation z,researchThu, 15 Mar 2018 09:30:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_frontpage2.png?10000City of London Lord Mayor records Lunar New Year messagehttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-lord-mayor-records-lunar-new-year-message/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-lord-mayor-records-lunar-new-year-message/The City of London Lord Mayor Charles Bowman has produced a special message for those celebrating Lunar New Year this coming Friday (16 February).

In a video recorded at the Mansion House, the Lord Mayor wishes everyone in Britain, China and around the world a very happy and prosperous new year.

The Lord Mayor also talks about his upcoming trip to China in March, where he will lead a business delegation to promote London’s continued role as a leading financial centre, and the City’s position as the natural western hub of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Reflecting on the symbolism of the Year of the Dog, the Lord Mayor discusses the importance of trust in business, a message which he has made a central priority for his mayoral year.

Lord Mayor Bowman, the 690th incumbent of a role that dates back centuries, is the leader of London’s ‘Square Mile,’ or financial district, and has plans to visit 27 countries over the course of his year in office. Charles Bowman is an accountant by profession, and is a Senior Partner at PwC in London.

Talking in the video, the Lord Mayor Charles Bowman said:

“As Lord Mayor of the City of London - and the principle ambassador of the UK’s financial and professional services sector at home and abroad - I would like to wish everyone around the world a very happy, and prosperous, new year.

“The year of the dog is special because it symbolises loyalty, honesty and above all trust- three things that I want to see more of in the industry I represent.

“In March I’ll be coming to China with a business delegation, when I’ll be saying just this, along with the message that London is open for business, and keen to be involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. “

Full details about the Lord Mayor’s trip to China, which follows that of Prime Minister Theresa May, will be released in due course.

-Ends-

For more information on the Lord Mayor and the City’s work in China please contact:

]]>news,spring festival,chinese new year,lunar new year,charles bowman,lord mayor,china,city of londonTue, 13 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London to visit Australia to boost financial and professional sector links http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-to-visit-australia-to-boost-financial-and-professional-sector-links/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-to-visit-australia-to-boost-financial-and-professional-sector-links/The Lord Mayor of London, an ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry, is visiting Australia at the head of a business delegation next week with the aim of strengthening trade links with the City of London.

Charles Bowman, the Lord Mayor, will meet government and business leaders, regulators, and trade bodies in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, discussing how the City of London can work more closely with Australian companies as they invest for growth domestically and abroad.

Lord Mayor Bowman, the 690th incumbent of a role that dates back centuries, is the leader of London’s ‘Square Mile,’ or financial district, and has plans to visit 27 countries over the course of his year in office. Charles Bowman is an accountant by profession, and is a Senior Partner at PwC in London.

The Lord Mayor will be visiting Australia at the head of a business delegation of senior figures from industries such as asset management, cyber security, and fintech, along with the Prime Minister’s Business Envoy for Financial Services, and entrepreneur Alastair Lukies. A number of the companies represented on the Lord Mayor’s business delegation are making investments in Australia, or are partnering with Australian companies as they expand into the APAC region.

He will also discuss how a potential free trade deal will look with senior Australian politicians, including the Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison MP.

“It is a great pleasure to be the first Lord Mayor in more than three years to be visiting Australia. I know that my visit will involve a packed and productive schedule, engaging with senior representatives from government, industry, and regulators.

“There are many excellent opportunities for British companies to do business in Australia – not least in asset management, infrastructure finance, cyber and fintech – and I look forward to discussing this in Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne.

“I will also be meeting innovative fintech businesses in Sydney and Melbourne to see how the City of London, as a financial centre full of creative energy, can help support their ideas and growth.

“Following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, it is more important than ever that we build our links with vibrant and growing markets across the world, and I know the UK’s relationship with Australia will go from strength-to-strength in the years to come.

International Trade Secretary, Dr. Liam Fox said:

“The UK and Australia already have a strong economic and cultural relationship – based on our shared histories, language, and open liberal economies.

“The Lord Mayor’s visit with a top business delegation, aims to further boost trade and investment ties, while making it easier for the City to work with their partners on the other side of the world.”

“The Lord Mayor’s visit to Australia comes at a time where the UK is rediscovering its place in the world as a great, global trading nation, and I am honoured to be a part of it.

“The UK leads the world in financial services, and has also taken decisive, focused action over the past decade to evolve into the world’s leading financial technology Hub.

“I’m particularly excited to reconnect with innovative and growing fintech businesses in Sydney and Melbourne to continue the various alliances and trading partnership discussions already underway and to speak about why the UK is the perfect location for them to grow their businesses.”

The Lord Mayor’s visit will have a strong focus on innovation, and how financial and professional services can support the growth of startups. The Lord Mayor will be touring the Commonwealth Bank Innovation Hub, and Stone and Chalk Fintech Hub in Sydney, as well as the York Butter Factory digital hub in Melbourne.

These visits will be balanced by meetings with established institutional investors, events with business representative bodies such as the Australian British Chamber of Commerce and Australian Bankers Association, and a number of events focused on Green Finance.

The Lord Mayor will be tweeting from @CityLordMayor during his visit.

]]>Lord Mayor,London,City of London,Charles Bowman,Australia,Sydney,Melbourne,Canberra,Business,Lord Mayor of London,Al Lukies,Liam Fox,Trade,newsThu, 08 Feb 2018 14:19:06 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000Lord Mayor Charles Bowman’s speech for the Bishops and Archbishops Dinner http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-charles-bowmans-speech-for-the-bishops-and-archbishops-dinner/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-charles-bowmans-speech-for-the-bishops-and-archbishops-dinner/An extract from the Lord Mayor Charles Bowman’s speech for the Bishops and Archbishops Dinner in the evening of Thursday 8th February at the Mansion House

Speaking about philanthropy in the City - past and present, and the City of London Corporation’s initiatives in this sector, the Lord Mayor is expected to say:

****

“We have put giving and service to others at our core – our institutions have shaped the communities around us.

The streets around us have been inscribed by history. On your walk around the City, you would notice places with names like Gresham, Cass, Peabody. These places commemorate the fine philanthropists that the City has created.

Sir Thomas Gresham, responsible for London’s first institute of higher learning in 1597. Sir John Cass, supporter of charity schools in the eighteenth century. And George Peabody, provider of housing for the poor in the mid nineteenth century.

Their names are now woven into the fabric of the City.

But more important than their names are their many gifts to London and its people. Parks and commons; museums, libraries and hospitals; housing estates and almshouses; universities, colleges and schools. Of course, the most effective philanthropy improves society as a whole.

The legacy of philanthropy is evident throughout our city. And we continue to see its lasting contribution. That is why strategic, effective philanthropy is central to the work of the City of London Corporation.

Our charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, now gives over £20 million per year to tackle disadvantage across the capital.

We support responsible business, inclusive recruiting and sustainable procurement…

… and we run many initiatives to encourage and recognise the social impact of business. (On that note: entries now open for the Dragon Awards for responsible business!)

The point is to embed a culture of effective philanthropy, and to promote London as a global centre for effective giving.

The City of London Corporation is currently redoubling its commitment to philanthropy.

We are in a unique position to support collaborations across business, governments and civil society, in order to tackle some of the most entrenched problems facing our society.

We have recently appointed a Head of Philanthropy to research and develop a strategy to ensure that we align and maximise the value of our network, assets and convening power.

We want to work across sectors to increase the amount and the effectiveness of time, money and talent that we give. And we will be looking at national partnerships, to enable us to learn about how best to empower individuals and communities to flourish…

…not just in London, but throughout the UK.

Our new philanthropic strategy will be built on qualitative and quantitative research into what the financial and professional services sector gives to civil society – and why it gives.

This will help us to recognise opportunities for deeper engagement.

I am confident that here in London we have all the fundamentals in place – the culture and history, the regulation and innovation, the rule of law and the creative energy – to remain the global hub for both business…

As the 690th Lord Mayor of the City of London, I am a key spokesperson and principal ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services.

And may I say how delighted I am to celebrate the branch opening of the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank in London – the bank’s first branch outside of Asia.

Opening a bank branch is never an easy task. I would like to say huge congratulations to Chairman Gao, Madam Chen Xin and the bank’s London team for working incredibly hard to achieve this remarkable milestone.

I have also heard that your London team has been praised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (the PRA) at the Bank of England for all their hard work in setting up this branch.

Well done!

In my capacity as Lord Mayor, let me warmly welcome you to London and to the City: home to more than 250 foreign banks and nearly 40 large Chinese financial institutions and investors.

I must say, Chairman Gao, you have made an excellent choice in picking London as the destination for your first branch outside of Asia.

No other city can provide such a unique cluster, ecosystem or environment for business success.

Here we have access to the world’s deepest liquidity pools; the biggest investor base; the best talent from around the world; our rule of law, language, time-zone; and a financial ecosystem that includes all the major global players.

There are more head offices of banks here than in any other city in the world.

London is also the largest offshore Renminbi centre, and conducts the most foreign exchange transactions in Renminbi outside of Greater China.

There is huge capacity for Chinese financial institutions – like Shanghai Pudong Development Bank – to expand internationally. London can provide the platform to accelerate this growth.

I am delighted to see more and more Chinese financial institutions expanding their global presence via London.

In turn, you will help this great city to continue to thrive as a global financial centre – and help London to better interact with markets in China.

2018 has truly begun on a high note for Sino-British relations.

Last month, in the Guildhall we played host to the China–UK Economic and Trade Forum, organised by the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK.

Last week, we saw Prime Minister Theresa May make her first official visit to China, affirming the “Golden Era” of UK-China relations, and further strengthening our trade and economic ties.

And today, we are here to celebrate the London branch opening of one of China’s finest banks, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, whom we were pleased to welcome as a corporate partner of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal earlier this year.

The Golden Era is set to continue.

In March, I will be heading to China, leading a senior City business delegation to promote London and the City’s offering on the Belt and Road Initiative, Green Finance, RMB Internationalisation, and Fintech.

We will be looking to develop old partnerships, and forge some new ones.

I will travel to Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing.

In Shanghai, the City Corporation will renew its Memorandum of Understanding with the Shanghai Government, originally signed in 2008.

This was the first MoU that the City Corporation signed with an Asian city, and it remains our only one in China.

Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, as one of the most important financial institutions from Shanghai, is well-placed to act as a bridge between our two great cities. Its presence here in London is certain to lead to even closer economic and trade cooperation in the years to come.

As we prepare to leave the European Union, the City is at a unique juncture.

We have an opportunity to shape the future of the financial and professional services sector.

Brexit has prompted us to look at our role and competitive positioning. We have the potential to consider our trade and investment with the rest of the world, including China.

Today’s event symbolises the growing partnership between China and the UK.

It also symbolises the continued commitment of Chinese banks to London, for which we are very grateful.

Thank you for choosing London, and we look forward to continuing to work with you, to further connect the two markets.

I wish you all a prosperous Year of the Dog.

Shanghai Pudong Development Bank:

生意兴隆，狗年大吉！

Thank you – 谢谢！

]]>news,shanghai pudong development bank,charles bowman,lord mayor,finance,bank,chinaTue, 06 Feb 2018 11:20:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000Call for firms to enter London’s top responsible business awards http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/call-for-firms-to-enter-londons-top-responsible-business-awards/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/call-for-firms-to-enter-londons-top-responsible-business-awards/Businesses tackling social problems in London are being called on to enter this year’s Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards - the capital’s top responsible business gongs.

The City of London Corporation, which runs the awards scheme, wants to hear from firms large and small which go above and beyond to make a difference to society.

The Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards for responsible business, which open for applications today (February 5), celebrates companies large and small that are improving people’s lives, from increasing the diversity of their workforce to volunteering in the community to helping social enterprises to grow.

Over the last 30 years, responsible businesses which have applied to the Dragon Awards have helped over 10 million people, mobilising 200,000 business volunteers and giving nearly £250 million in donations and in-kind support to London’s communities.

This year, the City Corporation wants to hear from businesses that are changing the way they work – both internally and externally- to improve society.

The Awards have six categories open until April 16:

Heart of the City Award: celebrates businesses that have only recently begun to have a social impact in Greater London

Accelerator Award: celebrates firms that are multiplying their impact in Greater London by helping other organisations to succeed

Regional Impact Award: celebrates businesses with a London HQ that are strengthening regional communities beyond the capital

Community Partners Award: celebrates community organisations that are working with firms to achieve excellence in social impact.

This year the City Corporation is also launching the Lord Mayor’s Award – Business of Trust Champion, focussed on trust in business, the Lord Mayor’s theme for the year. This award, open to all businesses across the UK, celebrates businesses which are championing responsible business practices to create a lasting legacy of better business trusted by society. The award is open for applications until July 30th.

All applicants will be invited to The Mansion House in September where the winners will receive a prestigious ‘Dragon’ from the City’s Lord Mayor, Charles Bowman.

The Lord Mayor said:

“These awards celebrate the excellent work of business supporting communities across London and tackling social issues. We will recognise firms that are improving society through their responsible business programmes and leading the way for others.

“London’s businesses should be more vocal about the positive work they do for society – and these awards are a fantastic opportunity to do just that.

“I am particularly pleased, this year, to launch a new award: the Lord Mayor’s Award – Business of Trust Champion.”

Since it was founded in 1987, the Awards have attracted high quality applications from a variety of organisations across London and the UK.

Previous winners reported winning new contracts, improved internal relationships, stronger reputations and increased PR as a result of taking part in the scheme.

The Awards form one part of the City of London Corporation’s commitment to working in partnership with businesses, charities and neighbouring boroughs to create a more responsible, inclusive and competitive London.

As part of this drive, the City Corporation funds Heart of the City, a charity supporting London’s companies to run their own responsible business programmes.

It also sponsors the City of London Business Traineeship Programme, which places state school pupils into paid internships at top City firms, giving young people the skills needed for a successful career in the Square Mile.

The City Corporation boosts young people’s employability through partnerships with City firms through apprenticeships, mentoring and paid work placements schemes.

Last year, in partnership with the Social Mobility Commission and the Social Mobility Foundation, it launched the world’s first Social Mobility Employer Index. It ranks the top 50 UK employers who have taken the most action to improve social mobility in the workplace, incentivising firms to improve access to top quality jobs for candidates from all backgrounds. The City Corporation itself has pledged to employ 100 apprentices by the end of 2017/18.

Its charitable arm, City Bridge Trust, gives £20m every year to charitable and community organisations across London.

It works closely with the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which runs City Giving Day, a celebration of the City of London’s philanthropic and responsible business activities.

On behalf of the City of London Corporation, may I welcome you all to the Old Library here at our historic Guildhall.

And may I thank the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK for providing this platform to bring us all together.

As the Lord Mayor of the City of London, I am a principal ambassador and key spokesperson for the UK’s financial and professional services sector.

During my year in office, nearly one-third of my time is spent on international visits – securing old partnerships and forming new ones.

In March I will be heading to China, which I had the great pleasure of visiting twice in my previous role as Sheriff.

For this visit, I will be taking with me a senior business delegation.

We will be discussing London’s role in the exciting Belt and Road Initiative, building on the involvement of the City of London Corporation in the Belt and Road Summit in Beijing last May – which I had the privilege of attending.

We will also be celebrating the tenth anniversary of the City of London Corporation’s presence in China, with offices in Beijing and Shanghai.

And we will be making plans for our Next Decade in Asia.

Here in London we are proud to have a team dedicated to supporting Chinese investors and businesses in the UK.

Last Spring we helped the Shanghai Clearing House to open its London office.

Last Autumn we welcomed the launch of Bank of China’s private banking service in London.

And we will soon celebrate the branch opening of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and the Agricultural Bank of China.

As President Xi put it, we are living in the “Golden Era” of China–UK relations.

And as Liu Xiaoming said to this group last year, Chinese businesses in the UK are the ‘stabilisers’ and ‘boosters’ of our great relationship.

I could not agree more.

Today’s event focusses on two topics: Brexit and the Belt and Road Initiative.

On Brexit, the City of London has asked the government for a deal that focuses on three Ts: Transition, Trade, and Talent.

We want a deal that is good for the UK and Europe and elsewhere.

Whatever the deal looks like, let me assure you that London will retain its strengths as the international centre for finance. It will remain the gateway for Chinese companies to expand into global markets.

After all, London is the largest Renminbi payments centre outside of China, and the largest Renminbi foreign exchange centre worldwide.

The UK’s commitment to the success of the Belt and Road Initiative was re-affirmed just a few weeks ago at the 9th UK–China Economic and Financial Dialogue.

Our banks, accounting and law firms, and our consultants and project managers have decades of global experience.

They have structured, financed and advised complex infrastructure projects around the world.

In London we have the knowledge – as well as highly liquid debt and equity capital markets, with a large global investor base.

This makes us an important partner for China – indeed, the Economic Dialogue specifically welcomed the involvement of the City of London.

Let me give three brief examples of what the City can offer.

First, risk management.

An infrastructure project of this scale and complexity faces a great deal of risk, throughout the value chain.

In London, we have experts in risk management, who can ensure the smooth delivery of the Initiative.

And, during the Dialogues, the UK Government promised £25 billion to support new business along the Belt and Road in Asia.

Second, legal services.

The Initiative will create a complex legal situation, as China makes huge investments in countries with diverse legal frameworks.

UK Common Law will provide a useful model for how to manage this situation.

Many Belt and Road countries have already adopted UK Common Law, and many more accept its power as fair, robust and time-tested.

Third, green finance.

The Belt and Road projects must be sustainable, to protect the environment for the future. We should all be planning for a completely green Belt and Road.

The City of London Corporation, through our Green Finance Initiative, already has strong ties to China’s Green Finance Committee.

Our joint taskforce last September published the report “Greening the Belt and Road”, and with the support of both governments, we have now established the “Green Belt and Road Investor Alliance”, dedicated to building President Xi’s “project of the century”.

That’s why promoting London’s role in the Belt and Road Initiative will be a core part of my visit in March.

I’m looking forward to it.

We have an exciting decade ahead for UK–China engagements. And the City of London will be at the forefront.

Watch this space on the 25th for an announcement from us, which will present many opportunities for you to shape our work in China and across Asia.

I know that many of you are also looking forward to the upcoming Spring Festival, and I wish you all the very best for the Year of the Dog.

Gou Nian Da Ji.

I hope that today’s Forum is productive, and I look forward to seeing many of you again in March – if not sooner.

Xie xie.

ENDS

Notes to editors

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, makes grants of around £20 million annually to tackle disadvantage across London.

We also help look after key London heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, the Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important commons in London.

We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies, all reflecting a long-term approach.

The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. The Lord Mayor spends some 100 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year).

The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister.

The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

]]>News,Charles Bowman,Lord Mayor,China,CCCUK,Belt and RoadThu, 18 Jan 2018 16:28:28 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000City of London and Tokyo agree closer cooperationhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-and-tokyo-agree-closer-cooperation/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-and-tokyo-agree-closer-cooperation/The City of London Corporation has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government which will result in closer collaboration between the financial and professional services sectors in both cities. The signing ceremony took place at the British Embassy, Tokyo.

Lord Mayor of the City of London, Charles Bowman, signed the MoU via a video conference with the Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, in Japan this morning.

The four-year agreement will aim to boost cooperation in a number of areas including:

FinTech and innovation;

asset management;

developing international standards in areas like green finance and environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment; and

The signing of the MoU comes in advance of next year’s visit to Japan by the City of London Lord Mayor Alderman Charles Bowman in May 2018.

Commenting on today’s agreement, the Lord Mayor said:

"I am delighted to sign the Memorandum of Understanding today alongside the Governor of Tokyo.

"Our great cities have a long history of collaboration across many sectors, and I am confident that the signing of the agreement today will lead to even greater cooperation.

"Last year we saw record growth in trade in the field of financial and professional services between the UK and Japan - with UK exports rising by nearly £1.3 billion. This shows the tremendous role the UK already plays in this area, and the amount of knowledge and expertise we have to offer."

The signing was followed by a panel discussion in Tokyo with specialists in the sector from the UK and Japan. A member of the City of London Corporation also took part in the panel.

Media enquiries: Nathan Rodgers, Financial Services – Asia, The City of London Corporation

Tel: 020 7332 3451 / 07864 625 086

E-mail: Nathan.rodgers@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Notes to editors

The Corporation's Chairman of Policy and Resources, Catherine McGuinness, sits on the Japanese Market Advisory Group, a high level industry body run by TheCityUK and chaired by Sir David Wright, working to strengthen the trade and investment relationship with Japan in the field of Financial and Professional Services (FPS).

Sir Roger Gifford, Chair of the City of London's Green Finance Initiative and the 2012–13 Lord Mayor of London, also sits on the Tokyo Global Financial City Advisory Council - a body working to revitalise the Japanese capital's financial sector.

The City of London is home to 65 Japanese financial institutions and manages a programme of engagement with Japanese stakeholders in London through our Global Exports and Investment team and Asia Programme.

In 2016 exports to Japan topped £4.6 billion- an increase of nearly £1.3 billion on 2015. In the same period UK imports in FPS from Japan hit £959 million, an increase of £135 million. (ONS)

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, makes grants of around £20 million annually to tackle disadvantage across London.

We also help look after key London heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, the Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important commons in London.

We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies, all reflecting a long-term approach.

]]>news,japan,tokyo,lord mayor,city lord mayor,charles bowman,roger giffordMon, 04 Dec 2017 09:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_shutterstock-552100717.jpg?10000Show time for Lord Mayor Charles Bowmanhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/show-time-for-lord-mayor-charles-bowman/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/show-time-for-lord-mayor-charles-bowman/The noisiest and most colourful event in the City of London’s calendar takes place next month (Saturday 11 November), featuring military bands, camels, an Achilles tank, vintage buses, Samba drummers, and an inflatable pig in a three-mile-procession through the Square Mile’s streets.

Some 7,000 people, 200 horses and 70 decorated floats will take part in the Lord Mayor’s Show, during which Charles Bowman, who will take office as the 690th Lord Mayor of the City of London on 10 November, will ride in the State Coach. The Lord Mayor’s Show dates back to the 13th century and allows the Lord Mayor to ‘show’ himself or herself to the people of the City, as well as to swear an oath of allegiance to the sovereign.

Cheered on by hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets and millions more watching the live TV coverage, the Show celebrates the City’s ancient past and its modern outlook – with livery companies and the Pikemen & Musketeers joining community groups, charities and overseas trade organisations.

There are two landmark anniversaries to note in this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show. The Royal Air Force, which will form a Guard of Honour during the Show and perform a flypast, celebrates its centenary; and in November 1937 – 80 years ago - the BBC began televising live coverage of the Show, making it the longest running television programme on the planet.

The day starts and ends on the River Thames - the Lord Mayor arrives in the City in a flotilla, travelling in the Queen’s Row Barge, Gloriana, and rides in the State Coach from Guildhall to The Mansion House at 10.45am. The procession leaves The Mansion House shortly after the National two-minute silence at 11.00am for Remembrance Day, and the Show ends with a free-to-view fireworks display at 5.15pm, which attracts huge crowds along Victoria Embankment and on Southbank.

Lord Mayor Elect Charles Bowman said:

“The Lord Mayor’s Show celebrates the historic and thriving City of London - the very centre of our strong and diverse capital – which, in turn, supports a globally successful country.

“It is a joyous occasion, full of colour, fun and ceremony, and it is wonderful that so many people come along and enjoy the carnival atmosphere.

“It is entirely right that the Show brings together so many diverse groups and communities from London and the UK, including hundreds of young people who love taking part.

“I’m calling on everyone to communicate throughout the Show, joining in on Twitter with #LordMayorsShow, and using the Lord Mayor’s Show App to vote for your favourite float.

“Working with City businesses, some of whom are taking part in the Show, and their communities, to promote integrity and create a positive effect on society will be at the heart of my mayoralty. And my ‘Business of Trust’ agenda will ensure we are helping to create better business, trusted by society.”

The City of London Corporation, which is headed by the Lord Mayor, invests over £100m every year in heritage and cultural activities of all kinds. It is the UK’s largest funder of cultural activities after the government, the BBC, and Heritage Lottery Fund. It is also developing Culture Mile between Farringdon and Moorgate – a multi-million pound investment which will create a new cultural and creative destination for London over the next 10 to15 years. This includes £110m funding to support the Museum of London’s move to West Smithfield and £2.5m to support the detailed business case for the proposed Centre for Music.

For more information about the Lord Mayor’s Show, visit www.lordmayorsshow.london; call 020 7332 3456 or download the official Show App. People are encouraged to post their photographs of the Lord Mayor’s Show on Twitter using #LordMayorsShow

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

• We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills projects. The City Corporation’s charitable arm, City Bridge Trust, makes grants of around £20 million annually to charitable projects across London and we also support education with three independent schools, three City Academies, a primary school and the world-renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

• We also help look after key London’s heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important ‘commons’ in south London.

• We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies all reflecting a long-term approach.

See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk for more details.

]]>news,Lord Mayor,Lord Mayors Show,State Coach,Guildhall,Mansion House,procession,City of London,Pageantmaster,Dominic Reid,Charles Bowman,fireworks,Square MileMon, 23 Oct 2017 11:13:33 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_election4.jpg?10000City of London Corporation appoints new Executive Director of Mansion House & Central Criminal Courthttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-corporation-appoints-new-executive-director-of-mansion-house--central-criminal-court/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-london-corporation-appoints-new-executive-director-of-mansion-house--central-criminal-court/The City of London Corporation has appointed Vic Annells as its Executive Director for Mansion House & the Central Criminal Court.

Mr Annells is currently the Director for the Department for International Trade in Saudi Arabia and was the HM Consul General in Milan.

Beginning his career with the Post Office he went on to gain international experience working in Africa, the Middle East and Europe in the public and private sectors, as well as the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Department for International Trade.

He holds a master’s degree from Cambridge in International Relations.

His remit will involve supporting and advising the Lord Mayor of the City of London to serve as the global ambassador for the UK-based financial and professional services industry. He will also manage the UK’s leading criminal court, known as the Old Bailey.

John Barradell, Town Clerk & Chief Executive at the City of London Corporation, said:

“My colleagues and I are delighted to be working with Vic, who will bring a wealth of experience to this role.”

Vic Annells said:

“I look forward to supporting the Lord Mayor in promoting London as the world’s leading financial centre and developing our overseas business programme to ensure maximum impact for the City and the UK.

“The Mansion House and the Central Criminal Court, where some of the UK’s highest profile criminal trials are held, are a major part of the City Corporation’s role in keeping London and the nation globally competitive.”

The Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley, will tomorrow (Wednesday) host an investment conference at The Mansion House to connect potential British investors with representatives of Nepal’s hydro power industry.

Nepal is blessed with tremendous capacity for medium to large scale hydropower infrastructure and the Government of Nepal is keen to attract foreign investment and skills to meet their targets for total domestic supply as well as facilitating exports to energy-hungry India and Bangladesh.

The conference will bring British investment managers, financial services and engineering companies together alongside a senior Nepalese delegation and members of the Nepalese diaspora in the UK.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the association between the UK and Nepal, and following the Lord Mayor’s recent historic visit to Nepal, the Lord Mayor is keen to explore further opportunities for British companies in Nepal.

The conference will be attended by Department for International Development Minister of State Rory Stewart MP OBE, the Nepalese Minister for Industry Nabindra Raj Joshi, as well as representatives from a number of City-based investment and project management firms.

Representatives from firms such as Eversheds Sutherland, Standard Chartered, The British Hydropower Association, Deloitte, and Mott MacDonald will be attending the event to share experiences from their areas of expertise on how to move large scale infrastructure projects through from planning to completion.

Speaking ahead of the conference the Lord Mayor of the City of London Dr Andrew Parmley said:

“I’m delighted that there has been such a strong City response to this event and an active interest in discovering more about investment opportunities in Nepal.

“As a developing country Nepal is in need of foreign investment to spur growth, and I am confident that the City is well placed to facilitate this mutually-beneficial economic development.

“It is no exaggeration when I say that this conference has the possibility to change the lives of tens-of-millions of people, and I am immensely pleased to see my historic visit to Nepal earlier this year bearing fruit.”

International Development Minister Rory Stewart said:

“I was delighted to return to Nepal last year and I’m proud to celebrate the 200-year relationship between our two countries. The UK stood by the Nepali people in their time of need following the tragic earthquakes, and we continue to support the country to rebuild and get back on track towards a more prosperous and stable future. Developing Nepal’s hydropower resources is not only boosting the country’s economic development, but also creating opportunities for British investors and hydropower companies.”

]]>Nepal,Hydro,Hydropower,green,investment,London,city of london,lord mayor,andrew Parmley,developmentTue, 21 Mar 2017 11:31:19 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_hydropic.jpg?10000City of London’s Lord Mayor plays organ symphony at St Paulshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-londons-lord-mayor-plays-organ-symphony-at-st-pauls/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-of-londons-lord-mayor-plays-organ-symphony-at-st-pauls/Andrew Parmley, the first music teacher and classical organist to be elected as Lord Mayor of the City of London in its 800-year history, will play the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony at St Paul’s Cathedral this evening.

Parmley, who trained at the Royal Academy of Music, will play the Grand Organ and will appear as solo player with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), as part of a Gala Concert in aid of The Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

The piece, otherwise known as Symphony No. 3 in C minor, was composed by Saint-Saëns in 1886 and takes around 35 minutes to perform. The Gala Concert will also feature Parry’s I Was Glad, Allegri’s Miserere and Walton’s Coronation Te Deum, sung by the St Paul’s Cathedral Choir.

“The City of London is a world leading financial centre and home to a vibrant cultural hub and, not only do we believe that arts and culture are essential to enriching people’s lives, they are crucial to the City’s success and woven into our history. Culture, open and available to all, is part of what attracts people to work in, live in, and visit the City.

"I have nominated three musical good causes for this year’s Lord Mayor’s Appeal. LSO Discovery, the orchestra’s pioneering music education programme, St Paul’s Music Outreach, and Music in Hospitals to benefit from funds raised by this Gala Concert.

“As very probably the first ever organist Lord Mayor in 827 years, I am delighted to be playing the solo part in the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony with the LSO in the magnificent surroundings of St. Paul’s Cathedral. This will be a truly unique experience, certainly, in the City’s mayoral history, and unlikely to be repeated.”

The City of London Corporation, which is headed by Lord Mayor Andrew Parmley, invests £80m every year in heritage and cultural activities of all kinds. It is the UK’s largest funder of culture after the government, the BBC, and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The City of London Corporation is a uniquely diverse organisation. It supports and promotes the City as a world leader in international finance and business services and provides local services and policing for those working in, living in, and visiting the Square Mile. It also provides valued services to London and the nation. These include the Barbican Centre, Barbican Music Library, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Guildhall Library, Guildhall Art Gallery and Roman Amphitheatre, London Metropolitan Archives, a range of education provision (including three City Academies); five Thames bridges (including Tower Bridge and Millennium Bridge), Central Criminal Court at Old Bailey, over 10,000 acres of open spaces (including Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest), and three wholesale food markets. The City of London Corporation is London’s Port Health Authority and also runs the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow. For more details, visit www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>news,Lord Mayor,Andrew Parmley,organ recital,St Pauls Cathedral,Saint Saens,The Lord Mayors Appeal,City of London Corporation,classical organTue, 14 Mar 2017 12:32:56 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_officialshot.jpg?10000Professor Stephen Hawking honoured by City of London Corporationhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/professor-stephen-hawking-honoured-by-city-of-london-corporation/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/professor-stephen-hawking-honoured-by-city-of-london-corporation/Professor Stephen Hawking will receive the Honorary Freedom of the City of London on Monday 6 March, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to theoretical physics and cosmology.

Widely regarded as amongst the most distinguished and prolific scientists of his generation, Professor Hawking, who celebrated his 75th birthday last month, will be presented with the City of London Corporation’s highest award at a ceremony at Guildhall.

During the ceremony, Dr Peter Kane, the Chamberlain of London, will pay tribute to his outstanding achievements, before presenting him with his illuminated Freedom scroll (or ‘resolution’) in an inscribed casket. Professor Hawking will deliver a keynote speech to guests, who will include Lord Mayor Andrew Parmley, the City’s Aldermen and the Court of Common Council, before answering questions submitted by students from the City’s schools and Academies.

Professor Stephen Hawking said:

“I am very pleased to have been granted the Honorary Freedom of the City of London and I would like to thank Lord Mayor Andrew Parmley and the City of London Corporation for this special award. I am looking forward to the ceremony in March, and to learning more about the unique traditions behind the granting of this honour.”

Andrew Parmley, Lord Mayor of the City of London, said:

“There are few people on the world stage, and not just in the field of science, who are as respected, revered and admired as Professor Stephen Hawking. He has educated and informed generations of people around the world, while continuing to push forward the boundaries of academia. He has achieved all this with courage, determination and humour, while facing the huge challenges of living with motor neurone disease.Over the course of a 50-year academic career, Professor Hawking’s achievements have been truly remarkable and it will be an absolute privilege to meet him at Guildhall and witness the award of his Honorary Freedom.”

Historical recipients of the Honorary Freedom of the City of London include William Pitt the Elder, Winston Churchill, Florence Nightingale, Robert Baden-Powell, Nelson Mandela, the Queen Mother, and the scientists, Edward Janner, who pioneered the smallpox vaccine, and Sir George Airy, the Astronomer Royal from 1835 to 1881.

Most recently, the Honorary Freedom was awarded to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Pulitzer Prize-winning South African human rights activist, and Sir Tim Berners Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

A small number of photographers have already been invited to Professor Hawking’s Freedom ceremony. Please note that no filming or interview opportunities will be offered.

A high resolution image of Professor Stephen Hawking is available for free use. Please contact Andrew Buckingham from the City of London Corporation’s Media Team. (see below)

Professor Stephen Hawking, (born 8 January 1942) is a theoretical physicist and cosmologist, who holds the Stephen W. Hawking chair of cosmology at Cambridge University. Currently, the Dennis Stanton Avery and Sally Tsui Wong-Avery Director of Research at Cambridge, he was previously the long-serving Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, the same post held by Sir Isaac Newton. His scientific work has centred on black holes and the origins of the universe. Professor Hawking’s 50-year academic career has been exceptionally distinguished, with too many honours and prizes to name. The list includes appointed Companion of Honour by Her Majesty the Queen in 1989, member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, holder of The Copley Medal, the Albert Einstein Medal, the Eddington Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Fundamental Physics Prize. Well-known for his popular work, the professor’s first book for a general audience, A Brief History of Time, was a runaway success and stayed in the best-seller lists for over 200 weeks. He has also made appearances on The Simpsons, Star Trek, Futurama and The Big Bang Theory television shows. In 2013, his extraordinary life story was turned into an Oscar-winning film, The Theory of Everything. In recent years, the professor has also turned his attention to science in school education, co-authoring with his daughter, Lucy, the ‘George…’ book series for young readers, aimed at increasing engagement for school students with science. Using his popular appeal to engage a new generation with science is an important part of Professor Hawking’s legacy. A prolific commentator on important public, cultural and scientific issues, Professor Hawking has used his high profile to highlight the dangers faced by the human race, including global warming, over-population, caution over AI, and the risks to UK science in leaving the European Union.

About the Honorary Freedom of the City of London:

The Honorary Freedom of the City of London is the highest honour that the City of London Corporation can bestow upon an individual. When the City of London Corporation wishes to honour someone in this way, a special resolution is passed by the Court of Common Council and if it is passed, the recipient is invited to attend a special ceremony, usually, at Guildhall, (but occasionally, at the Lord Mayor’s official residence, The Mansion House), during which the Chamberlain of London admits him or her formally into the Freedom. The recipient is presented with a beautifully coloured and illuminated copy of the resolution and with a casket. Speeches are made at the ceremony by the Chamberlain of London and the recipient. The first Honorary Freedom was King Charles II, but the ceremony only started to take place on a regular basis from the middle of the 18th century, when Pitt the Elder received his Freedom. Since then, recipients have included Nelson, Wellington, Peel, Disraeli, Kitchener of Khartoum, Baden-Powell, Florence Nightingale, Winston Churchill, and the Queen Mother. The two most recent recipients are Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Sir Tim Berners-Lee.

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation is a uniquely diverse organisation. It supports and promotes the City as a world leader in international finance and business services and provides local services and policing for those working in, living in, and visiting the Square Mile. It also provides valued services to London and the nation. These include the Barbican Centre, Barbican Music Library, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Guildhall Library, Guildhall Art Gallery and Roman Amphitheatre, London Metropolitan Archives, a range of education provision (including five City Academies); five Thames bridges (including Tower Bridge and Millennium Bridge), Central Criminal Court at Old Bailey, over 10,000 acres of open spaces (including Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest), and three wholesale food markets. The City of London Corporation is London’s Port Health Authority and also runs the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow. For more details, visit www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

]]>news,Stephen Hawking,Honorary Freedom,City of London,cosmology,cosmologist,theoretical physics,science,scientist,Guildhall,Andrew Parmley,Lord Mayor,Cambridge University,motor neurone diseaseWed, 22 Feb 2017 12:25:25 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_portrait1.jpg?10000Next City Lord Mayor Electedhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/new-city-lord-mayor-elected/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/new-city-lord-mayor-elected/Alderman Andrew Parmley has today been elected as the next Lord Mayor of the City of London. Alderman Parmley will serve as the global ambassador for the UK-based financial and professional services industry from 11 November 2016 and he will serve a one year term.

The Lord Mayor Elect will succeed the current Lord Mayor Jeffrey Mountevans and will become the 689th Lord Mayor. He will take office after the Silent Ceremony on Friday 11 November at the Guildhall in the heart of the Square Mile, with the annual Lord Mayor’s Show taking place on Saturday 12 November. The Lord Mayor’s Banquet follows on Monday 14 November at the Guildhall, where the Prime Minister will speak.

The Lord Mayor Elect will act as a spokesperson for the City, leading overseas business delegations to key international markets on behalf of UK financial, professional and business services. He will meet with government representatives from around the world, alongside business leaders and policy makers. He will look to strengthen economic ties with the UK, identify new business opportunities and reassure them that the UK is a top global destination for foreign investment.

Alderman Parmley has extensive experience in the creative industries, education and music sector where he has spent a number of years teaching, examining and composing. Born in Manchester, he will champion the Northern Powerhouse as well as wider economic regeneration. He will continue to celebrate the contribution of the UK’s regions and show how they contribute to a vibrant and successful financial and professional services sector.

Alderman Andrew Parmley said:

“The City of London is part of the very fabric of the capital and entire country, as well as being a world-famous institution in its own right. We all recognise that it is an essential part of the UK’s economy: the financial and professional services sector accounts for 2.2 million jobs, 11 per cent of GDP and £66 billion in tax revenues. During my year in office I will strive to champion and speak up for this industry both domestically and internationally, particularly as the City faces up to the challenges and opportunities that Brexit will pose.

“However, I will also promote the Square Mile’s educational and cultural offer. The City of London Corporation is proud to support a number of high-performing schools and flagship academies and we are committed to increasing the skills and employability of young people across London. We also have ambitious plans to build a world-class Centre for Music and relocate the Museum of London to boost the fantastic arts and culture opportunities in the Square Mile. I am immensely looking forward to representing all that the City can offer as Lord Mayor.”

Dr Parmley’s Biography

Alderman Parmley was educated at Blackpool Grammar School, then the Royal Academy of Music, at both Manchester and London Universities, before going to Jesus College, Cambridge. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from Strathclyde University.

He has been the Alderman for Vintry Ward since 2001 and a Common Councilman since 1992. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, and has been Honorary Organist of the church of St James Garlickythe for almost 35 years. He is also an Honorary Fellow and Visiting Professor of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he has served as a Chairman.

He has been a Director of Music in a number of schools and is the current Principal of The Harrodian School in West London. He is committed to attracting international talent to London to diversify not only culture and the creative industries he is dedicated to, but also the financial, commercial and business City.

As former Chairman of the Montessori St Nicholas Charity, he has shown support for the historic and innovative classroom practices that have developed over the last century to aid special needs children to reach their full potential. He is a Past Master of the Musicians’ company in the City and also serves as International Ambassador for the London Symphony Orchestra and Patron of the London Youth Choir

Dr Parmley is a member of the Prime Minister’s Apprenticeship Delivery Board which aims to create three million new apprenticeships over the next five years - an initiative that will broaden opportunities for young people and stimulate dynamism and growth in the City.

He is currently the sponsoring Alderman for the Guild of Nurses and Honorary President of the Guild of Young Freemen. With his wife, Wendy, he has also founded an educational charity with interests in Asia and North America, the Transcontinental School Innovation Alliance.

Notes to editors

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London

The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year).

The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister.

On average, the Lord Mayor will meet one head of state a month and will meet a prime minister or finance minister each week to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills projects. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charity City Bridge Trust makes grants of around £20 million annually to charitable projects across London and we also support education with three independent schools, three City Academies, a primary school and the world-renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

We also help look after key London’s heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important ‘commons’ in south London.

We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies all reflecting a long-term approach.

Two of the world’s leading financial centers have agreed to work together to promote the growing financial sector of green finance. The City of London Corporation’s Green Finance Initiative has agreed to work closely with China’s Green Finance Committee to promote and raise awareness of green finance.

China and the United Kingdom are increasingly promoting green bonds and taking action more broadly on developing green finance. The UK has emerged as the global hub for green finance, green bond issuance and investment, while in China, green finance is increasingly high on the policy and regulatory agenda.

Increased UK-China collaboration could help speed up the growth of the global green bond market and the green aspects of the financial system. The City of London Corporation will be hosting a landmark Green Finance Summit at Guildhall in January 2017.

Speaking at a green finance roundtable held today at London’s Guildhall, Sir Roger Gifford, Former Lord Mayor and chairman of the City of London’s Green Finance Initiative said:

“The commitment of the City and the wider UK to the development of deep, liquid and robust green capital markets and to the provision of a full spectrum of green financial and professional services remains undimmed.

“Commitments made by the G20 countries were powerful policy signals every bit as important as the two-degree ceiling set out at COP21 last year. The City of London fully endorses the G20’s call-to-arms, and we are confident that the financial and professional services sector here in London will respond accordingly – indeed, it has already been doing so through the work of the GFI, the Climate Bonds Initiative and others.

“London is host to a world-leading cluster of green financial services, from climate-related insurance and green project financing to clean tech innovation and carbon disclosure initiatives. It will continue to play a leading role in the globalisation of green finance.”

Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Simon Kirby said:

“Green finance is key to securing a low carbon future that delivers economic growth, both in Britain and abroad.

“London is the world’s leading green finance hub and is already the partner of choice for the world’s fastest growing economies.

“Making sure Britain is well placed to capitalise on this huge opportunity as the sector develops is a government priority and central to our plan to ensure the UK remains open for business and is an attractive place for foreign investment.”

]]>City of London,Roger Gifford,Green,Finance,Green Finance,China,Lord MayorThu, 15 Sep 2016 11:48:59 +0200https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_green-finance.jpg?10000First ever Lord Mayor to visit Cuba to build financial tieshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/first-ever-lord-mayor-to-visit-cuba-to-build-financial-ties/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/first-ever-lord-mayor-to-visit-cuba-to-build-financial-ties/The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Jeffrey Mountevans, will be the first ever Lord Mayor to visit Cuba when he arrives in the country on May 5th 2016.

As Ambassador for the UK’s financial services industry, the Lord Mayor will be looking to strengthen the ways in which the UK and Cuba can build their links in the financial services sector. He will be meeting with government ministers, regulators and senior business leaders during their time in the country.

Lord Mayor Jeffrey Mountevans said: “It truly is an exciting time for global business to strengthen commercial links with Cuba. I know that the City of London – the pre-eminent international financial centre – is looking forward to supporting Cuba in this pivotal phase of its development and growth.

“The City of London has the global services and skills to help Cuba realise its ambitions and I am looking forward to a productive visit that will forge a stronger trading relationship between our two countries.”

Cuba remains an attractive market for City firms with economic growth of four per cent in 2015, a new Foreign Investment Law and a published portfolio of investment opportunities for foreign companies. As part of the visit, the Lord Mayor will looking for opportunities in infrastructure development, particularly in transport, the development of ports, airport enlargement and energy efficient cargo. The UK with its expertise in infrastructure financing is well-placed to work with Cuba in this area.

The Lord Mayor will also be visiting Brazil and Chile as part of a ten-day trade mission.

Notes to editors

About the City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills projects. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charity City Bridge Trust makes grants of around £20 million annually to charitable projects across London and we also support education with three independent schools, three City Academies, a primary school and the world-renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

We also help look after key London’s heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important ‘commons’ in south London.

We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies all reflecting a long-term approach.

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London

The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year).

The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister.

The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London: The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year). The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

]]>The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Jeffrey Mountevans, is leading a business delegation to Bahrain (23 – 24 January 2016). The visit will focus on strengthening the UK’s relationship with Bahrain and ensuring that the UK remains Bahrain’s partner of choice for financial and professional services.

The Lord Mayor, an ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services, will meet business leaders and senior members of Bahrain’s government.

Speaking ahead of the trip, Lord Mayor Mountevans said:

“Bahrain is a vital partner for UK companies. Its status as one of the Gulf’s major trading hubs means many of our firms already have a presence there, and many more want to join them. We are working hard to ensure the UK continues to be seen as its partner of choice when it comes to business, financial and professional services.

“Closer partnership will support the national and regional goals of economic diversification, growth and education. I will also discuss the UK’s expertise in developing infrastructure projects like schools, hospitals, social housing, roads and rail networks. The City of London has immense experience in this field and pioneered innovative financing models that mobilise the two-way flow of capital and help with that economic diversification.”

Signs of the strong relationship between Bahrain and the UK:

There are over 500 active UK commercial agencies and over 90 branches of British companies in Bahrain. In addition, over 350 Bahraini companies have UK partners;

British businesses already operating in Bahrain include HSBC and Standard Chartered;

The total value of bilateral trade in 2014 was about £451.4 million, up by 2% from 2013;

Bahrain is one of the UK’s largest export markets in the GCC. The UK exported £295.5 million in goods to Bahrain in 2014, a 9% increase on 2013;

Several British banks, law and accounting firms and smaller service organisations also operate successfully in Oman;

UK is Oman’s biggest foreign investor;

7,000 UK residents make up the largest Western expatriate segment.

Notes to editors

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London: The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year). The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

]]>The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Jeffrey Mountevans, is leading a business delegation to Oman (28 – 29 January 2016). The visit will focus on strengthening the UK’s relationship with Oman and ensure that London and the UK remain its partner of choice for financial and professional services.

The Lord Mayor, acting as ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services, will be meeting with senior members of the government and business leaders.

Speaking ahead of his trip, Lord Mayor Mountevans said:

“My goal on this visit is to reaffirm the UK’s excellent relationship with Oman and find ways for us to work more closely together. Our two countries share close links built up over decades, but as Oman’s importance in the Gulf and global economic stage continues to grow, there are many more opportunities for us to work with each other.

“In particular, the UK is well-placed to assist Oman diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons towards a more sustainable future; given British expertise and innovation in financing, planning and managing major infrastructure projects.

“We also recognize increased focus by the Omani government on supporting its young labour force, through targeted programmes, to develop critical skills for success in an increasingly competitive job market. There are a number of training agreements between the Omani government and UK business services, which I hope will be expanded in the future. The growing global market for financial and professional services – of which our countries are an important part – needs young people with specialist business knowledge, underpinned by strong values, and enriched by an international outlook.”

The Lord Mayor represents the City of London and businesses and helps the City Corporation advice the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. On average, the Lord Mayor will meet one head of state a month and will meet a prime minister or finance

minister each week to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives.

The City of London has an active programme of engagement with India, including through its representative office in Mumbai and through advice and guidance from the City of London Advisory Council for India, made up of Indian financial services experts. The aim of the City of London’s work is to promote a genuinely two-way exchange of trade and investment in financial and professional services between the UK and India and to facilitate engagement between policymakers and industry representatives from both countries.

]]>The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Jeffrey Mountevans​, is visiting India from March 18 – 23 March as part of the UK’s commitment to boosting economic ties between the two countries.

The Lord Mayor will lead a delegation of British professional and financial services providers to India’s political and financial centres - New Delhi and Mumbai. The UK has been working closely to support the Indian Government’s aim to foster economic growth and inclusive development and this visit is aimed at furthering this for the mutual benefit of both countries.

The UK has also been working closely to support the Indian Government’s 'Skill India' campaign. This visit will build on the ongoing work in this area.

With India’s renewed growth trajectory there is a greater demand for professionally qualified staff. Currently the demand for professionally qualified professionals in India significantly outstrips the supply. The UK is a world leader in providing educational resources from pre-school to university and the qualifications and learning offered by these UK institutes are recognised by employers around the world. India with its young population is well placed to take advantage of the UK’s expertise in financial and professional services.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Lord Mayor Mountevans said:

“Ever since Mr. Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India, we have seen his visionary economic reform plans for India. As India looks to raise more capital for its ambitious plans, the City of London, as the leading financial centre in the world, stands ready and willing to support these aspirations. This is an exciting time for UK - India relations and on this visit I am looking forward to exploring how we can form even stronger ties, especially in the areas of financing, skills and economic cooperation. I strongly believe that we can ‘Make in India’ and ‘Finance in the UK’.”

During the visit the Lord Mayor will call on a number of senior Ministers and Officials in the Indian Government including Union Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley, where he will emphasise the UK’s commitment to cooperate on infrastructure financing, green financing and the continuation of broader financial sector collaboration under the India UK Financial Partnership.

He will also meet Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister for Power to discuss how the UK can support India’s clean energy ambitions, in particular the role of the City of London as a world hub for international finance including green finance.

In Mumbai the Lord Mayor will meet the Chairman of SEBI, Deputy Governor of RBI, British banks in India and other senior leaders from the financial and professional services sector, through one to one meetings and round tables. They will discuss key areas of shared interest including financial inclusion, regulatory reform, financial technology, and the raising of finance in the UK to fuel India’s growth.

During his visit he will engage with established and new market participants and government officials, to address issues of mutual interest. Topics covered will include the development of a Fintech bridge between the two countries; the international use of the rupee and long term financing solutions for infrastructure development.

ENDS

]]>lord mayor,India;,Jeffrey Mountevans,overseasMon, 21 Mar 2016 12:44:50 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_$r0mgql2.jpg?10000Lord Mayor to promote economic links with the Gulfhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-to-promote-economic-links-with-the-gulf/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-to-promote-economic-links-with-the-gulf/The Lord Mayor of London’s Square Mile, Jeffrey Mountevans, is leading a large business delegation to the Gulf (16 – 26 January 2016) as part of efforts to strengthen relationships in the region and ensure that London and the UK remain the partner of choice for financial and professional services.

The Lord Mayor, acting as ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services, will be meeting with senior members of the government, investment authorities, regulators and business leaders. His programme is as follows:

Kuwait City, Kuwait (17-19 January)

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (19 -21 January)

Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE (22 - 26 January)

Speaking ahead of his trip, Lord Mayor Mountevans said:

“As the whole Gulf region looks to diversify its respective economies, I want to show how the City of London, with its expertise in financial and professional services, can support the region with its ambitious plans. We have so much to offer ranging from world-leading businesses to our expertise in the insurance and legal market, education, qualifications and Islamic Finance.

“This visit will also show how the UK is a natural partner for the region - closer ties will help support our respective interests, support sustainable economic growth and help create many more jobs.”

Notes to editors

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London: The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year). The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

Companies joining the Lord Mayor as part of the business delegation include: Lloyds of London, Linklaters, Invesco Asset Management, Grant Thornton & Deloitte.

]]>lord mayor,City of London,gulf,jeffrey mountevansMon, 18 Jan 2016 15:29:22 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_$r0mgql2.jpg?10000City launches initiative to make London the world leader in Green Financehttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-launches-initiative-to-make-london-the--world-leader-in-green-finance/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/city-launches-initiative-to-make-london-the--world-leader-in-green-finance/Leading figures from the world of finance will today (14 January) gather in the City for the launch of the Green Finance Initiative, which aims to make London the world leader in green finance.

The Green Finance Initiative aims to improve the financing options for sustainable infrastructure projects and support the sector’s development.

Experts believe there will soon be a £100 billion-a-year market in green bonds to finance sustainable infrastructure projects and both the City of London Corporation and the Government are determined London will be the centre of this market.

The initiative is being launched by the City of London Corporation, who will use the City’s convening power and close relationship with industry to find practical ways to support the market.

A similar initiative to support the development of London’s Renminbi markets led to huge successes such as a growth in trade volumes of 600% since 2011, a government issued RMB bond, and the sale of more than $1 billion dual currency bonds in London by the Agricultural Bank of China by 2015.

To ensure that the initiative is focused and takes practical steps, the City convened a breakfast attended by industry experts to find out which issues they felt needed tackling most urgently. Following their advice, the first phase of the GFI will focus exclusively on three issues:

Improving the flow of projects generating green bonds in the UK and advocating for the development of a low-carbon infrastructure strategy.

Enhancing transparency and accreditation standards so that market participants can have greater confidence in green products.

Better informing and incentivising the market, including through educational materials and assessing potential market incentives.

Members of the initiative will be drawn from banks, insurers, accountants, academics, regulators, and government. Sir Roger Gifford, a former Lord Mayor of the City of London and a director at SEB; Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP; Ma Jun, Chief Economist of the People’s Bank of China; Nick Robins, Co-director of the UNEP Inquiry into the design of a sustainable financial system; and the Rt Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London, the Lord Mountevans, will all be speaking at the launch event, along with other industry figures.

Speaking ahead of the launch, The Lord Mayor said: “Following the important COP21 conference in Paris, this is a crucial time to build on the momentum of green finance, and it’s vital that industry is involved in this. Our initiative aims to support the market through practical action, allowing both London and the Green Finance industry to benefit from the exciting new opportunities in the market.”

Sir Roger Gifford, chair of the Green Finance Initiative, said “The City of London Corporation is determined that 2016 be the year in which policymakers and practitioners convene to drive the long-term development of the UK’s green finance sector. As the UN Environment Programme put it so clearly, the financial system we need is one that fully supports and facilitates the transition toward a low-carbon economy, and we believe London can play a leading role in this process.”

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said, "2016 is set to be the year of green finance. Across the world, we are seeing a growing number of countries aligning their financial systems with the sustainability imperative. I wholeheartedly welcome this new green finance initiative from the City of London, the first of what’s likely to be a very busy year.”

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

(1) We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills projects. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charity City Bridge Trust makes grants of more than £15 million annually to charitable projects across London and we also support education with three independent schools, three City Academies, a primary school and the world-renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

(2) We also help look after key London’s heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important ‘commons’ in south London.

(3) We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies all reflecting a long-term approach.

]]>news,green finance initiative,roger gifford,jeffrey mountevans,lord mayorThu, 14 Jan 2016 17:11:26 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London sends New Year messages to British polar explorerhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-sends-new-year-messages-to--british-polar-explorer/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-sends-new-year-messages-to--british-polar-explorer/The Lord Mayor of London’s Square Mile, Jeffrey Mountevans, has sent New Year wishes to polar explorer Henry Worsley, who is trekking the Antarctic alone.

The Lord Mayor said:

“Many of us in the City of London are following your progress extremely closely and take a great deal of pride in your inspiring trek, one that echoes the ambition of Shackleton and your kinsman over a century ago. I am particularly delighted that coverage has included such prominent references to the British Armed Forces.

“I am that sure that you can help to inspire a new generation of young people – and perhaps us slightly older people as well – to look at this most remote corner of the world with renewed interest, appreciation and wonder.”

The Lord Mayor’s own grandfather Edward Evans was also an explorer who participated in the taskforce which was sent to relieve Scott’s first expedition to the Antarctic. He was then second in command for Scott’s final expedition six years later.

-ends-

Media Enquiries

Bella Longman

Media Officer – Financial Services, Planning & Transportation

City of London Corporation

020 7332 1906 / 07809 334 327

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London: The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year). The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

]]>news,lord mayor,jeffrey mountevans,south poleThu, 14 Jan 2016 17:10:28 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000Lord Mayor of London sends New Year message to British astronauthttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-sends-new-year-message-to-british-astronaut/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-sends-new-year-message-to-british-astronaut/The Lord Mayor of London’s Square Mile, Jeffrey Mountevans, has sent New Year wishes to British astronaut Tim Peake:

“Many of us in the City of London have followed Principia extremely closely and take a great deal of pride in your role on the International Space Station. I am sure that you can help to inspire a new generation of young people to enjoy science, technology, engineering and maths – as well as inspiring some of us slightly older children to look at the world with more curious eyes.”

The Lord Mayor’s own grandfather Edward Evans was also an explorer who participated in the taskforce which was sent to relieve Scott’s first expedition to the Antarctic. He was then second in command for Scott’s final expedition six years later.

-ends-

Media Enquiries

Bella Longman

Media Officer – Financial Services, Planning & Transportation

City of London Corporation

020 7332 1906 / 07809 334 327

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London: The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year). The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

]]>news,lord mayor,jeffrey mountevans,spaceThu, 14 Jan 2016 17:09:33 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_942.jpg?10000Former Lord Mayor honoured by HM the Queen for promoting international business and inclusionhttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/former-lord-mayor-honoured-by-hm-the-queen-for-promoting-international-business-and-inclusion/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/former-lord-mayor-honoured-by-hm-the-queen-for-promoting-international-business-and-inclusion/Alan Yarrow, former Lord Mayor of the City of London, has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours List 2016 for services to International Business, Inclusion, and the City of London.

Sir Alan, who served as Lord Mayor from November 2014 to November 2015, adopted ‘Creating Wealth, Giving Time and Supporting People’ as the theme for his mayoralty and helped raise over £2million for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, for which the main beneficiaries were Scope and Mencap, of which he is Vice President. Sir Alan also promoted ‘City Giving Day’ to encourage philanthropy in the Square Mile.

During his year in office, Sir Alan championed trust, standards and inclusion in the City and visited 27 countries (including China, Brazil, Mexico, India and Sri Lanka) over three months to promote London and the UK’s financial and professional services.

Sir Alan said: “I feel deeply honoured to have been awarded a knighthood by Her Majesty the Queen, in recognition of my work to promote London as the leading global financial centre and in particular, to champion inclusion, disability and philanthropy. During the course of a hugely enjoyable and rewarding mayoralty, it was a particular privilege and pleasure to welcome the President of China, the President of Mexico, and the Prime Minister of India to Guildhall. I can look back at my year in office with a sense of great pride, not only for advocating London and the UK’s tremendous strengths as a financial power house, but also for the differences which, I hope, I have made in helping change attitudes and behaviour in the financial sector. My wife, Gilly, and my family have been immensely supportive and I know that they share my delight in being offered this honour.”

Other City figures who have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List 2016 are: David Shalit, former City of London Corporation Elected Member, who receives an MBE for services to the City of London Corporation and Older People in London, and Peter Adams, a Verderer and local naturalist at Epping Forest, who receives an MBE for services to the Conservation of Flora and Fauna in south-west Essex and east London. Charles Andrews, a road sweeper, and his colleague, Sean McCarthy, an HGV driver, receive a BEM (British Empire Medal) for voluntary services to the Poppy Appeal in London. Both men gave up two weeks of their annual leave to set up stalls in Cheapside and Cannon Street and collections to raise over £60,000 in 2014, and repeated their achievement in 2015. Since they started the annual collections in 2003, Mr Andrews and Mr McCarthy have together raised over £242,000 for the Poppy Appeal.

The City of London Corporation is a uniquely diverse organisation. It supports and promotes the City as the world leader in international finance and business services and provides local services and policing for those working in, living in and visiting the Square Mile. It also provides valued services to London and the nation. These include the Barbican Centre and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama; the Guildhall Library and Art Gallery and London Metropolitan Archives; a range of education provision (including three City Academies); five Thames bridges (including Tower Bridge and the Millennium Bridge); the Central Criminal Court at Old Bailey; over 10,000 acres of open spaces (including Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest), and three wholesale food markets. It is also London’s Port Health Authority and runs the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow. It works in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on the regeneration of surrounding areas and the City Bridge Trust, which it oversees, donates more than £15m to charity annually.

]]>Lord MayorThu, 31 Dec 2015 11:18:58 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_lordmayor.png?10000Lord Mayor of London visits Northern Ireland to build tieshttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-visits-northern-ireland-to-build-ties/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-of-london-visits-northern-ireland-to-build-ties/Today, the Lord Mayor of London’s Square Mile, Jeffrey Mountevans, began his year-long programme of regional mayoral visits with a trip to Belfast. The Lord Mayor, who took office for the one year position in November, has already visited Malta as part of his programme of European engagement.

During his trip he will attend a business meeting with Invest Northern Ireland, a dinner at the Titanic Centre, and a breakfast roundtable hosted by financial services firm Citi. He will also pay a courtesy call to the Mayor of Derry-Londonderry, and meet the organisers of the CultureTECH festival while in the city.

Every year the Lord Mayor of the City of London travels overseas for around 100 days and this year will visit 28 countries selling UK Plc and UK financial and professional services to key international markets. In this capacity, the Lord Mayor acts as the representative for financial services across the UK, not just in London. To ensure that they are fully aware of the challenges and opportunities facing different regional centres, the Lord Mayor visits a number of important regional cities to help build ties with local business communities during their mayoral year. Later this year the Lord Mayor will also visit the regional hubs of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Leeds, York, Durham and Sheffield.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Lord Mayor Mountevans said:

“I am delighted that my first regional visit this year will be to Belfast. It’s a strategically important centre for the UK in which the financial and professional services community plays a key role, supporting over 31,000 jobs and providing £2bn (7.4%) of regional GVA and 4.5% of regional employment. I hope that my visit will help build the ties that can generate growth in both our regions. Success for Belfast is success for London too.”

The City of London Corporation provides local government and policing services for the financial and commercial heart of Britain, the 'Square Mile'. In addition, the City Corporation has three roles:

We support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration, education and skills projects. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charity City Bridge Trust makes grants of more than £15 million annually to charitable projects across London and we also support education with three independent schools, three City Academies, a primary school and the world-renowned Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

We also help look after key London’s heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important ‘commons’ in south London.

We also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events and research-driven policies all reflecting a long-term approach.

About the Lord Mayor of the City of London

The Lord Mayor is head of the Square Mile’s City of London authority for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. It is an exceptionally demanding role. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year).

The Lord Mayor represents City businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister.

The Lord Mayor meets several international Heads of Government and Business each month to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor lives in the Mansion House for the Mayoral year.

]]>news,ireland,jeffrey mountevans,lord mayorWed, 02 Dec 2015 14:10:44 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/942/500_titaniccentre.jpg?10000Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow's speech at City Banquethttp://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-alan-yarrows-speech-at-city-banquet/
http://news.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lord-mayor-alan-yarrows-speech-at-city-banquet/At the City Banquet tonight at the Mansion House, held for an audience of regulators in the financial services industry, Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow will give the following speech (check against delivery).

The other speakers will be Dr Andrew Bailey and Ms Tracey McDermott.

Speech begins:

Andrew Bailey, Tracey McDermott – both of you have spoken a lot about the City brand. How we have some of the best people in the world working here, who believe in doing the right thing, working hard, and supporting their families.

I recently returned from a two-week trip to Africa. Before that, I was in China, and this time last night I hosted a state banquet for the Chinese President.

Let me tell you that internationally, the City brand is as strong as ever. It is back here, in the streets outside, that our reputation still staggers. I have spent 43 years of my life in financial services. It is my home. And it pains me to see its grand heritage trampled by people out for a quick buck.

I hope we have stopped people with the attitude that the client comes second. I grew up in the ‘partnership’ culture of the 1970s. The buck stopped with my partners and me, for our mistakes. I condemn those who put themselves before their clients, using their firms to feather their own nests with little risk to themselves.

I have a message for those people: your days are numbered. The system is being changed to dig you out, and get you out. But at the same time, and in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes, we need to acknowledge something. Regulators can only do so much.

But by definition, regulation will always be behind the curve of innovation. This is NOT a criticism – it is a reality. It’s like so many other areas in life – the people who set the rules, chase the game. Look at cybercrime, where the police struggle to contain ever-more sophisticated hackers. Or education, where the head teacher can’t see into every classroom at once. What can we do?

There is only one answer. If we want clean and efficient markets, management must understand their responsibilities.

It’s like the old Heineken advert – managers can reach the parts that regulators can’t. So regulators must embrace the same ‘partnership culture’ that I grew up with, and seek the support of practitioners. Working together and ending up in the right place: not with light regulation, but the right regulation.

THAT is how you build a Better Brand, a Better Economy and a Better Society. But there are other things we can do to restore the City’s domestic reputation. And a few weeks ago, we saw a glimpse of it. The City as a force for good in the community. That may not come as a surprise to you and me. But to many people out there, the City is just a commercial centre. City Giving Day, at the end of September, was one way to address that.

It started at 6.30am with an interview on the Today programme, and finished sixteen hours later with the Dragon Awards in this very room. During that time over 200 organisations, from HSBC to Allianz, promoted their outreach work – alongside the charities, community groups and local projects which benefit from it.

These are people, remember, who until quite recently could have sat in a pub and complained about the City being out of touch. And now here they are, at the heart of the Square Mile, singing the praises of business. The supported standing beside the supporters, saying a public ‘thank you’, in the hope that others might hear it, ask themselves why they aren’t up there, and be encouraged to do the same.

As Lord Mayor, I speak for and to the City. It has been a real privilege to do that over the past year. And while I’ve spoken for you, if you look at what’s happened, we have seen progress.

The narrative has improved. Groups like the FICC Markets Standards Board and the Banking Standards Board have integrity as the very core of their existence. Government and regulators have moved a long way, opening the door for more trust in City institutions. I welcome that. And I know that you do too.

But now, as I come to the end of my year, I stand here and speak squarely to the City. To you. Along with that trust comes responsibility! We must prove that we deserve it, and that we will use it well. Because if we don’t, we know what will happen.

If we don’t stand up and articulate how important the City is to this country…

If we don’t show that the benefits we bring to society aren’t limited to just tax and GDP…

If we don’t prove that we are stitched into the very fabric of community…

Then should doomsday come, we will have to fight for our very existence.

And it will be our fault that we haven’t marketed our full contribution to the country’s wellbeing.

I remember when I first came to the City. I was proud of where I worked! That pride has been eroded by the stupidity of some. But they won’t win! Let’s not let those chat-room conversations and reactionary headlines define us.

No: let’s rebuild that same pride that we all felt at the outset of our own careers.

Because that is the strength of the City. Working together. Whether it’s community projects or policing. Mentoring or military affiliations. Volunteering or regulation.

Before us stands a new time of co-operation. Better for everyone.

A good deal for clients and communities. And better, healthier, more Profitable markets.

That is the aim. It is within our reach! And to cement it, let me propose the toast.